The Girl Under the Tree
by OnigiriKami
Summary: There is a raven haired girl who is always hanging around in one particular tree,Ichigo is curious of why she does that.He later befriends her at there first encounter,and little by little,finds out about her bitter past.A little light romance in it,R
1. Chapter 1: Raven Haired Girl

**OnigiriKami: **Hello! This is my first fanfic, so be nice to me! This whole story is not Bleach plot related! This story might have a teensy weensy bit of Ichiruki in it, but it's most likely going to be about friendship. Rated teen for the drama.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!!

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Bleach.

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It was a very hot day in Karakura Town and Kurosaki Ichigo was in his classroom, not paying attention to a word his teacher was saying. Today was a day where Ichigo didn't felt like doing anything. It was so hot that if the orange spiked head moved even an inch, he would be sweating like crazy, to even make it worse, the air conditioner in the class was completely broken, so the class had to rely on the windows, which only hot air came in. The heat was so unbearable, that you could go insane any minute now and then strip naked without even caring what other people thought about it. But everybody bore with it because there was only about five minutes of school left.

Ichigo's seat was right next to the window and his class was on the 2nd floor, which made it kind of good to sit next to the window, because he could just stare outside and see the whole school. He had his whole right arm to levitate his head, and was just staring out the window with his amber eyes looking at the school field and track. He roamed his eyes all around the empty track and field, but something had caught his eyes. Right next to the grassy field was a tree, the surface below the tree was pale, dry dirt, and in the shadow of the tree was a raven haired girl. The girl was crouching down below the tree, to not make her uniform dirty, and had a long, skinny stick in her hand. With the stick, she was marking the dirt with a long line on it. It was really odd to Ichigo, because she had the same grey uniform on, which meant she was in the same school as he was, but she wasn't in her own class. '_And what's with those lines she's making?'_, Ichigo thought.

Before Ichigo could dwell on this matter, the bell had rung, and everybody had started packing up their stuff to get ready to go home. "So today's homework is page 33 in your handbooks, it will be due in tomorrow", said Ms Taka, but before she dismissed anybody, she looked around to see if everybody was ready to go home. When everybody looked like they were really ready to go home, she said, "You are all dismissed!", but before Ichigo left the class, he had one last glimpse of the tree where the raven haired girl was, but she had already disappeared.

"She's quick." said Ichigo, before he left the classroom.

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**OnigiriKami:** I know, I know. It's really short and boring right now, but I promise you that the story will get better! Please read and review! And stay tuned for more!!!


	2. Chapter 2: Waiting

**OnigiriKami:** HAHAHA!!! My second chapter! And I changed my name from OnigiriTalk to OnigiriKami! Remember, this is my first fanfic, so I'm not really good at this, but you guys can give me some advice to help me in my writing (I suck at writing). PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Bleach!

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Each day, on the last class period, Ichigo would always see the girl. He found a routine that the girl had. First she would be sitting on the tree, staring at the sky, daydreaming. Second, right before school ended, she would pick up a long stick, and scratch the dry dirt with a long line, retracing it back and forth. Afterwards, when the bell rang, she would run quickly out of the school gates. Ichigo was so curious of why she did that everyday, and always missed her classes. It was so weird for her to not be noticed outside, because if a teacher saw her like that, then they would tell her to go back to class immediately.

Today, Ichigo was going to plan on meeting her at lunch time. But first he would have to tell his friends that he couldn't hang with them today.

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**Lunch...**

"Hey Ichigo!", shouted a deep voiced giant. He looked a little Hispanic, and had dark skin, with hair that almost always covered his right eye.

"Oh, hi Chad", said Ichigo.

"So we're going to meet at the usual place, the top of the school roof, right?", said the man named Chad. He pointed at the ceiling, indicating the top of the roof.

"Sorry Chad, I have something to do, you go on ahead with Ishida." Right after Ichigo said that, he went outside to the fields. He found the one tree which the weird raven haired girl always went to. Ichigo was unsurprised that the girl was still at the tree, because he had always seen her unmoving underneath the shade. Her back was in front of him and she didn't look like she noticed that he was there. Ichigo sat on the other side of the tree, facing behind her. It was very silent, until the girl had broken the silence.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly and very calmly, not even facing him. Ichigo was kind of surprised that she already had known that he was behind her.

"How did you know I was here?" asked Ichigo.

"You can hear you coming here. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Just because." Ichigo paused and then said, "I was wondering, why're you always here, and making weird marks on the dirt?" Ichigo said. There was a little silence then the girl had spoke again, "I'm waiting." She said quietly. '_For what?'_, Ichigo thought, confused.

"For school to end." She said. Ichigo was a bit confused again. Why wouldn't the girl just wait for school to end in class, while studying? "And these lines are for all the days that nobody has noticed me." She said. Ichigo was shocked, surely somebody would notice her, just by looking out the window, or walk by the fields. He looked at the lines in the dirt and started counting them. _'1…5…………..32…__32__! She's been unnoticed for about 32 days?! The school started a month ago, and she hasn't been noticed since?!'_ Ichigo thought. The girl suddenly turned around and examined him closely. At first, the girl was a little shocked, and Ichigo didn't understand why, then she started roaming around his face. Her dark violet eyes mostly looking at his bright orange hair. "Ichigo Kurosaki, huh?" she finally said.

"Wha?! How do you know my name?" said Ichigo, surprised.

"The rumors say that there is a delinquent at school, who has bright orange hair and permanent furrowed brows, they all match." Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed more. He hadn't known about this rumor spreading so much, that even a girl who didn't even attend classes, knew about him. He hated this big lie. Just because his hair was abnormal and he always frowned, didn't mean that he was a gangster. It was only that his appearance made him look like one, and his hair had always got him into a fight.

"Rumors are rumors, I am Ichigo, but everybody just judges me as a dangerous delinquent, when I'm not at all one." Ichigo said.

"I see… you do look like one, though" she said. Another silence came in, and then Ichigo spoke.

"If nobody notices you, why don't you at least try?"

"Why should I make someone notice myself, when they haven't from the beginning?" She said.

"I said that you could at least try."

"I don't want to." She said. Ichigo was starting to not like her much. She was so stubborn and had no confidence to make friends or let them now that she was even in this world. But he pitied her for not having any friends, so that was why he wanted to be her friend. _'Does she want to be lonely her whole life?!'_ Ichigo thought, _'Guess it can't be helped, I'll be her friend'_. "But at least one person knows that I am living, so thank you." She said very quietly. Ichigo scratched his head and said, "Umm. Your welcome."

_BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP_

The bell had ring, meaning the end of lunch. Ichigo lifted himself up and started walking back to class, while, at the same time, talking to the girl. "You know, you should go back to class, or you'll be a dunce for the rest of your life." Ichigo said. Right before he left the shade of the tree entirely, he stopped and stood still, and said, "What's your name?", there was a very long silence and then she spoke in her quiet little calm voice.

"Kuchiki, Rukia."

"Ok then, SEE YA TOMMOROW, RUKIA!!!" Ichigo shouted, turned around, and gave Rukia a, furrowed brows, big smile. Rukia turned around immediately, to hide herself from showing him that she was blushing. For the first time in a long time, Rukia had felt a bit happy.

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**OnigiriKami: **Still boring, but the dramatic parts will begin a little later. And I think it's pretty confusing on Rukia's emotion and attitude right now, but it will make sense later. And I'm going to change Rukia's past A LOT. Oh, and please do not expect that my story will be as long as this, or even longer, it's random length. Please review!

Stay tuned for more!!!!!!!!!


	3. Chapter 3: A Sneaky Deal

**OnigiriKami:** MWAHAHAHAHA! (randomness). Please be nice to me because this is my first fanfic, and writing is my worst subject! (I'm a stupid foreigner).

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT **own Bleach!!

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!**

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Today, after the other day when Ichigo had met the girl named Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo had waked up the morning. He had laid on his side, facing his closest and his door to his room. When Ichigo turned to the side where his window was, he saw a man with an unshaved beard and black hair staring at him. The man was looking at him in silence, and then he lifted his two fingers, tapped Ichigo's forehead lightly, and said, "I give you the awesome-good-luck-dad-touch." There was another silence, and Ichigo's brows started to furrow even more than it was usually furrowed. Ichigo raised his hand slowly, right above the man's head, and then thrust it straight down.

"OWWWWWWWWWWW!!" The man cried, "How could you do this to your own father, Ichigo?!"

"That was for the creepy dad-awesome-lucky-thingy that you did." Ichigo shouted to his father.

"Excuse me, but I think you meant the awesome-good-luck-dad-touch" Ishiin said very dramatically. "Sheesh, at least get the name right, for that's my most powerful luck that I have bestowed on you!"

"Oh yeah…" Ichigo was standing on his bed and had kicked his father this time, "This is for sleeping on my bed!"

"What!? Are you now to old enough to have your old man sleep with you whenever you have bad nightmares?!" Ishiin said.

"When did I say that?!" Ichigo shouted.

"Remember?! It was about 10 years ag-" Ishiin was cut off, because at that time, Ichigo had kicked his father in the face.

"That was when I was 5 years old!" Ichigo yelled.

"Doyoudothistoallyourfriends?" Ishiin managed to say, underneath Ichigo's foot.

"No, only to you, because your an idiot." Ichigo lifted up his foot that was on top of his father's face, but before he could leave his room, his father landed a big kick on Ichigo's cheek. His father was making a big grin (shining effect on the teeth when he smiled) and then he said, "Never let your guard down, son."

"You have five second to take your foot off of my face, before I throw you out of the window." Ichigo said in a dangerously calm voice. Ichigo started counting in his head.

_5…_

"A man never goes back on his actions!" Ishiin said proudly.

_4…_

"What? Staying quiet, because your to chicken to fight your old man?!"

_3…_

"Bok bok! I thought you were a man, Ichigo!"

_2…_

"I knew it, you couldn't ever surpass me"

_1…_

"Look at our son, Masaki, he's not fit enough to b-" Ishiin's words were cut off yet again, because this time Ichigo had kicked him so hard that he went crashing threw the window. The final words that Ishiin had said, before he plummeted onto the ground was, "AS EXPECTED FROM MY SON-OOF!!!!"

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**School**

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Ichigo was hanging with Chad, and Ishida. It was homeroom, where everybody had about 10 minutes of social time, before first period started. Ishida, a bluish-black haired guy with rectangular glasses, had brought his sowing kit, to fix up a doll that one of his classmates had requested. Chad, as usual, was quiet. Orihime had come to Ichigo's group, after she had talked to Tatsuki.

"Kurosaki-kun, at lunch time, where were you?" The orange-brunette haired girl asked politely.

"Oh that, I had some business to do." Ichigo replied.

"When you mean business, do you mean like solving a crime scene investigation, and then you get hints to finding who the murderer was, and then you find the murderer, and then you chase him, and then corner him in an alleyway, and then-" Orihime had been cut off of what she was saying when a black haired girl, behind her, place her hand on top of Orihime's head.

"Okay we understand what you're trying to say, Orihime." said the black haired girl.

"Oh, hi Tatsuki, when were you behind me?" Orihime asked.

"When I heard you getting off topic." replied Tatsuki, and then Orihime smiled, and laughed embarrassedly. "So Ichigo, what kind of business did you have, huh?" Tatsuki asked Ichigo.

"Nothing really, I just met somebody." Ichigo said casually. Tatsuki grew a grin on her face, and Orihime's ears pricked at the mention of the word 'somebody'. Even Ishida and Chad stared listening in the conversation.

"Who was it?" Tatsuki asked. Everybody had started to close in more on Ichigo.

"It was just this girl that-"

"A GIRL! I never knew that you were interested in that kind of stuff Ichigo." Tatsuki interrupted. "Have you gone first base with her already?" she said with a sly smile.

"Huh?! What?! Why are you bringing up baseball?" Ichigo said, with a genuinely confused face.

"I mean have you guys kissed yet?" Tatsuki said, annoyed at how Ichigo didn't know what she was even talking about. Orihime looked a bit horrified. Ishida had stopped sowing the doll he was fixing and Chad was starting to become eager for Ichigo's answer.

"WHAT!!!??" Ichigo shouted. "What are you thinking about, Tatsuki?! Kiss? Kiss!? Why would I kiss a girl that I just met?!"

"Huh? Isn't this girl you're talking about your girlfriend?" Tatsuki asked.

"She isn't my girlfriend; I only met her, because I wanted to ask her something!" Ichigo said. After hearing that, Tatsuki was making a face that said, "Ohhhhh." Orihime had looked relieved, and Ishida started to not get interested in the topic anymore and began sowing again. Chad was just staring at Ichigo.

"Kurosaki-kun, what did you want to ask her?" Orihime said a little shyly.

"Well when I first saw her, she was always alone under a tree, she always skipped classes a lot and stuff, and she marked lines under the dirt of the tree, so then I got really curious of why she did that, and then I asked her why she did those stuff." Ichigo replied.

"Wait a minute! You mean the girl that's always underneath the tree, right next to the field?" Tatsuki asked.

"Yeah." Ichigo said. He was pretty shocked that Tatsuki knew about Rukia Kuchiki, because Rukia had said that nobody had ever known that she existed. "You know about her, Tatsuki?!"

"Yeah, she's that girl; I think her name was Rukia Kuchiki."Tatsuki said.

"Then do you know why she's always so lonely?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, but it's just a rumor, but they say that she is very antisocial, and that she's really weird. That's why there are hardly any people who would go up to her, or even be her friend. Everyone nicknamed her 'The Ice Princess', because when she glances at you, she gives you the coldest glare." Tatsuki said.

"Well, she wasn't like the rumors when I talked to her." Ichigo said. He really didn't care about the rumors, because he knew somehow that it wasn't true. "I'm going to meet her again." Everybody looked at him. "Because I promised her, it's nothing special!"

_**BEEEEEEEEEEEPPPP!**_

The bell for first period had rung.

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**Meanwhile at Rukia**

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The petite raven haired girl, who was sitting under a tree, was staring at the clear light baby blue sky. Today's weather was nice and had a warm gentle breeze to it. The girl had a chocolate pocky in her mouth, that she had took out from a box, that was in her black school bag, that was right next to her left side. While looking at the sky she was thinking about something. She was thinking about her past. A bitter past that she would never forget, ever since she was a young 7 year old.

_**Flashback:**_

_Little Rukia was in the middle of the game, tag. She was the person called "it" and needed to "tag" someone. Everybody had been hiding well away from her. Rukia had smiled while running, making her yellow sundress sway in the wind, trying to find anyone that she could "tag". _

_After searching for a long time, she had found two people that were closely hiding together in a bush near the blue playground swings. One, that Rukia had identified, was her best friend, Senna, because she had recognize her friend's purplish hair, the other was a brown haired boy that she did not know. Senna was whispering in the other person's ear. Rukia didn't know what she was whispering about, but it would at least distract the two people from her surprise attack that she was going to give to them._

_Rukia sneaked closer and closer to them, and then when she was about to "tag" the boy, he had already noticed her. Immediately, the boy had covered himself, with one hand over his face, and the other hand was groping for an object near him. Rukia thought that it was just because the boy didn't want to get tagged, so she reached for him again, but this time the boy shouted, "GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU FREAK!!! " Then the boy found a rock and grasped it in his hands, and threw the rock right at Rukia's head. Rukia looked so confused, and was crying of the pain from the rock, and then she realized what had happened. Senna, her best friend that she had trusted, and told her everything, had told the boy about __**it**__. _

_Rukia looked at Senna and screamed, "YOU! YOU TOLD HIM!!!! I TRUSTED YOU!!!" Senna just gave her a cold pitiful glance, with her cold unemotional golden eyes, and then walked away from the bush. Rukia crouched at where she was and started sobbing. After about ten minute, Senna had came back and brought a whole pack of kids, that knew what Rukia's secret was. They all had rocks and were going to throw it at her. All of the teachers were looking at the children, not doing anything, because they knew what Rukia's secret was, they looked disgusted at Rukia. _

_Before the children were going to throw the rocks at Rukia, Senna said one last thing to Rukia, "Die you monster!" Then the throwing had begun._

_**End of Flashback**_

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**Lunch**

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The bell had ringed, signaling the beginning of lunch, Ichigo wanted to go to the girl, Rukia again. He hurried to the tree where she always hangs around, before he could reach to the exit to the school, he was cut off by Orihime.

"Kurosaki-kun, are you going to that girl again?" she asked shyly.

"Yeah, why Inoue?" Ichigo asked.

"Well… I... I was wondering if I could come to…"

"Sorry Inoue, I think I should just go alone." Ichigo said. "I don't think she likes more than one person at once."

"Oh… okay." Orihime had looked disappointed, but then immediately put on a fake smile and said, "Then bye Kurosaki-kun!" and then she ran to the direction to the top of the school roof. _'Sorry Inoue, maybe next time'_ Ichigo thought. Then he hurriedly exited the building and went to the tree.

As usual, the black haired girl was there, sitting underneath the tree, staring at the sky. She had a pocky stuck in her mouth, which she kept on sucking on. Again she looked like she didn't notice that Ichigo was behind her, but then she talked, "Hello, Ichigo." She said with her usual calm voice.

"Yo." Was all Ichigo said, before he sat behind the tree trunk, opposite of where Rukia was sitting.

"Why are you here again?" she asked.

"What, can't I sit where I like, too?" he said. Rukia had gotten a little pissed at what Ichigo had said. A little silence and then, "Actually I heard a rumor." He said finally. Rukia had turn around, and Ichigo saw that Rukia looked a little startled.

"W-What is it?" Rukia said nervously.

"You being an unsociable weirdo." Ichigo said. Ichigo saw that Rukia had looked a little relieved and then she had begun to look mad.

"I'm a weirdo?" Rukia asked with a very sarcastic, mad, teeth clenched voice. _'Wow, she actually got pissed; I thought that she was always calm'_ Ichigo thought.

"That's what people say." Ichigo said, "And didn't you say that nobody notices you? I mean like everybody does. They just avoid you, because your aura isn't friendly." Rukia looked a little surprised then afterwards she replied.

"I never knew that, I just thought that everybody never noticed. And what do you mean by an aura?"

"I mean when people tries to approach you, they feel awkward around you, because you give off a presence that says to not bother you." Ichigo said.

"I wonder why it's not affecting you at all."

"Well, I'm just special." Ichigo replied, smiling. "And seriously, if you want to make friends, be a little bit cheery"

"Remember when I said that I didn't want to make any?" Rukia said. Ichigo had remembered that she did say that she didn't want to, from the other day. _'But she has to at least god damn try!_ _'_ Ichigo thought. Then when he saw Rukia's school bag, an idea popped out of his head.

"Hey Rukia, what's your classroom number?" Ichigo asked.

"Why do you want to know?" She asked back.

"Just tell me your room number, then I'll tell you why I need it" Ichigo replied.

"1-3…" Rukia said cautiously.

Ichigo's mouth had almost literally dropped to the floor; she was in his same class! He didn't even know that until she said it. He shook his head, and focused back onto his plan.

"Well then, you'll have to go to class starting from tomorrow…" Ichigo said, while at the same time he was slowly and quietly reaching for her bag from the other side of the tree, the bag was on Rukia's left side and Rukia's head was facing right, so all he had to do was to sneak the bag from her left, with his right hand. When his hand was close to the handle of the bag, he grabbed it and ran away with it. "… If you want your bag back!" Ichigo yelled, while grinning.

"What?" Rukia said in confusion, and then she had realized what Ichigo had done. "Hey! Give that back! Stop joking with me!", Rukia yelled.

"I told you that you have to get it back by going to class tomorrow!" Ichigo yelled back.

_**BEEEEEEEEEEEEP**_

The bell had rung and Ichigo hurried inside the school building.

Rukia would really like to get her bag back right now, but she didn't want to cause an uproar at school, so she just needed to act like she was going to school for one day. And then after school, she would get her bag back from Ichigo quietly, so that nobody would find out that she had made a deal with Ichigo. She thought it was very embarrassing to have been tricked by a person. But then again, she could just ditch her own belongings, but it had important things that she needed. It had her cell phone and wallet. _'I should have scared him away from the first day I met him!'_ Rukia thought angrily._ 'I'm going to give him a bruise that he'll remember forever!'_, but somehow Rukia had felt very excited of going to school tomorrow.

"Guess I have to go", Rukia said while smiling.

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**OnigiriKami:** That was really long! But at least it was pretty interesting about the glimpse of Rukia's past. And now Rukia is showing some of her real personality again! YAY! Oh and I have nothing against Senna, it's just that alot of IchiRuki stories have her as the bad guy, and so I copied them. Oh and I'm not letting Ichigo call Rukia a midget or anything, and not make Rukia make fun of Ichigo's hair, because, seriously, that's way to original in IchiRuki stories, but there will be Rukia hitting Ichigo! And how was the Ishiin that I wrote? Is he funny, or a very different awkwardly not funny guy, because I'm not that good at humor.

Why does all the kids started throwing rocks at Rukia?

Stay tuned to find out!!!!

**REVIEW!!!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Kazeshini Falls!

**OnigiriKami:** My school is going to start tomorrow! So that means that I won't be able to update so quickly anymore :( But I will update every sundays from now on! The bolded words in parenthesis is my A/N. I think this chapter sucked a lot, because when I read it all over, to double check, I didn't think it made sense. I don't know, but please tell me if this chapter did make sense or not. **READ AND REVIEW!!!!!**

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Bleach! If I did then I would kill everybody, because I'm a sadist!! (lol)

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Rukia Kuchiki was so nervous today. She was basically shaking to her knees. It had been a very long time since Rukia had been to class. She wouldn't worry when she skipped all of the classes, because she had already known everything the teachers taught to the students of the sophomores, she had known all of the subjects at the level of a junior. She just didn't really want to go to classes, so that she could distance herself from her classmates. She couldn't trust anyone anymore, after that incident **(OnigiriKami: look at the previous chapter, when Rukia had a flashback)**. But today had been for a very important reason. Yesterday a certain orange haired teenager had stolen Rukia's school bag, with her precious belongings in it.

Rukia was right in front of the classroom 1-3, of the second floor, in the Karakura school **(Just randomly named it)** building. The hallways had a white theme, white flooring, white ceiling, white walls, white classrooms, everything was white. The window of the building was on Rukia's back side and the classroom door was on her front. She slowly reached for the handle of the door with her sweaty little hand, her face trickling with sweat. Somehow, Rukia wanted to make a good impression. She didn't know why, maybe it was, because she wanted to give friendship another chance, or maybe because she didn't want to let everyone think about her as an "unsociable weirdo" all of her school life.

Rukia slowly turned the golden door knob. _'Remember what that damned Ichigo said, be cheery, be cheery, be cheery!'_ Rukia thought nervously. As the door opened slowly, Rukia had come into the classroom.

Everyone was looking at her. Rukia searched around the room, looking to see if the stupid orange haired boy was in the same class. She thought she saw a little glimpse of orange in the back, but only thought. Then Rukia took in a deep breath and said, "Hello everybody!" with the most cheerful voice that Rukia could think of, and she even put on a big smile.

"My name is Kuchiki Rukia, nice to meet you all!"

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Ichigo saw the door of the classroom open. He and everybody else thought it was the teacher of first period coming in early, but no, to Ichigo's surprise, it was a small, black haired girl. It was Kuchiki Rukia.

After yesterday, when he had "borrowed" Rukia's bag, when he thought through of his plan, at his house, he didn't really think that Rukia would come to class. He had thought that she would have ditched her belongings. He even planned on giving Rukia's bag back at lunch.

But what had surprised Ichigo even more than her showing up was when she talked to everyone in such a cheerful voice. The Rukia that Ichigo knew was the calm, so called "Ice Princess". This girl, who was in front of Ichigo, couldn't be her, but then again she had introduced herself as Rukia Kuchiki. _"Does she have split personalities?'_

The entire class had started whispering:

"That's the 'Ice Princess'?! I thought she was supposed to be very cold!'

"Wow! Never expected her to be so happy looking!"

"I thought she was an unsociable weirdo, she so friendly"

"Is that really Kuchiki Rukia?!"

"So that's Kuchiki Rukia, right Kurosaki-kun?" said a soft voice a couple of seats behind him. Ichigo turned around to see who it was. It was Orihime.

"Oh, yeah, that's her, Inoue" Ichigo replied.

"So, aren't you going to welcome her?" said a new voice.

"Yeah Tatsuki is right, you should Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said, her face a little red.

"Okay," Ichigo said, and then turned around to face the front of the class; he stood up next to his seat, and yelled out to Rukia, "Oi, Rukia, over here!" He saw Rukia's violet eyes immediately whip to the spot where Ichigo was. First her eyes had looked surprised to see that Ichigo was in the same class as her, but then realized that he was asking her to join him so then she went over to him.

"Hello! Ichi-Kurosaki-san!" she said while putting on a very fake smile.

"What's with that split personality attitude?!" Ichigo asked. Rukia kicked him in the shin. Ichigo was about to fall and said in a painful voice, "What was that for?" just before Ichigo fell to the ground, Rukia had caught him and said in a dangerously low voice, "Even though I'm not usually like this, and I don't really hit people, I still have some pride, I'm not bipolar!" She had lifted Ichigo gently up, with another one of her fake smile.

"There you go, Kurosaki-san, be careful next time, you could have tripped!" she had reverted back to her friendly voice. Ichigo made a scowl on his face at Rukia, but she just ignored it. Then two girls surprised Rukia, when they jumped on her.

"So you're Rukia!" Tatsuki said.

"H-Hello Kuchiki-san." said Orihime, timidly.

"H-Hello." Rukia had said awkwardly.

"The name's Tatsuki Arisawa! And this girl here is Orihime Inoue!"

"Pleasure to meet you, Arisawa-san! Inoue-san!" Rukia said, back to her cheery voice.

_**BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP**_

The door of the class had opened again and a long, brown haired woman with glasses came in.

"Okay, class, take a seat!" said Ochi-sensei. The class had shuffled around to their desks. Ichigo had gone to his desk, walking painfully. When he sat on his seat, he saw that Rukia had followed him, and was sitting right next to him on his right side.

"Huh?! You sit next to me?!" Ichigo whispered.

"What? You didn't notice me from the first day? Yeah I sit here, but on the first day, I skipped class at lunch time." Rukia whispered with her usual calm voice.

"So that's why the seat was always empty."

"You Just noticed, you idiot! Remember, you better give me back by school bag!"

"I might change my mind if you keep being hostile towards me"

"You bastard."

"Kurosaki Ichigo!" Ochi-sensei had called out Ichigo's name out of the attendance sheet.

"Here!" Ichigo yelled.

"And Kuchiki Rukia is absent…"

"I'm here! Ochi-sensei!" Rukia said. Ochi-sensei looked up from her attendance sheet, in surprise. Rukia was just smiling at her.

"Oh… welcome back, Kuchiki"

* * *

**Lunch...**

Rukia had gone to the usual tree she always went to. She had a box of pocky, that she had took out from her locker. She sat under the shade, on the grassy half of the surface. She leaned her back on the tree trunk, stuck a pocky in her mouth and looked at the clear blue sky.

Rukia heard someone approaching her. She first had thought that it was Ichigo again, but then when the person called out to her, she was wrong.

"Hi Rukia!" Tatsuki said.

"Hello Kuchiki-san." said Orihime.

Rukia smiled and said, "Hello Arisawa-san, Inoue-san!" She felt like she was a good actress, because nobody had known that Rukia was just acting like this. Only Ichigo did.

"Can we join you, Rukia?" asked Tatsuki.

"S-sure!" Rukia said. But she really didn't want them to, but then she didn't want to be mean and hog the place.

Tatsuki and Orihime had sat around to make a triangular shape. Orihime had a big loaf of bread, and a can of red bean, Tatsuki had a normal bento, that had some grilled chicken teriyaki over rice. Rukia had finished up the pocky that was in her mouth, and was popping in another one of the chocolate covered sticks into her mouth. There was a silence, before Orihime talked.

"Hey, Kuchiki-san, do you like Kurosaki-kun?" Rukia had started choking on her pocky when Orihime had asked that. She pounded on her chest, and coughed a lot, before she replied to Orihime.

"W-What!?"

"I was wondering if you liked Kurosaki-kun…"

"Why would I like a guy that I just met?"

"That's exactly what Ichigo said, when I asked him!" Tatsuki said. "Maybe you guys could make a good couple, you guys think alike."

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime yelled at Tatsuki. Rukia was wondering why she had yelled at her, and then it hit her.

"Inoue-san… you like Ich-Kurosaki-san, don't you?" Rukia asked. She saw Orihime blush.

"N-N-N-No! I was just wondering if you liked Kurosaki-kun."

"Right, Orihime." Tatsuki said with the most sarcastic voice ever.

"Tatsuki-chan!"

"It's all right Inoue-san, I won't tell Kurosaki-san" Rukia smiled to her.

"T-Thank you, Kuchiki-san." Orihime embarrassedly said, before she took a bite out of her bread.\

* * *

Ichigo was sitting on top of the school roof. It had a wired fence around it, to keep the students safe from accidently slipping off of the roof. There was a little white building that stuck out of the roof's flooring and in the building was a stair case that had led to the roof.

Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida had already finished up their lunches and were just chatting.

"Kurosaki, did you finish up your homework, from the 5th period teacher?" Ishida said.

"Yea-" Ichigo was cut off, because a student had came in from the little building. He was a red-head, with a bandana tied around his forehead.

"Ichigo…I….knew you were…here.." said the breathless man.

"Isn't that Renji Abarai, from the track and field team?" Chad said.

"What are you doing here, Renji?" Ichigo asked.

"W…Well…" Renji paused for a while to catch up his breath, "We have a racing competition in a month, with the Sakurano High, and one of our three best guys, Hisagi Shuhei, just broke his leg! We need a replacement for him, and the only person that I could think of that can replace him would be you, Ichigo!"

"What! The "Kazeshini" broke his leg!?" Ichigo asked.

"Yesterday, Shuhei-senpai wanted to get extra practice. While he was running, a Sakurano student tripped him. He twisted his ankle pretty hard." Renji replied.

"The Sakurano made Hisagi forfeit!?"

"Yeah, Shuhei-senpai told us."

"Why won't you make the Sakuranos forfeit also?"

"We tried, but the judges, Kira and Iba, said that we had no proof to make the Sakurano student representatives to forfeit."

"Why are you guys even racing anyway? It's not like a real tournament." Ichigo asked.

"Well our track and field team and their track and field team are fighting over this really good practice place." Renji replied really embarrassedly because he thought it was embarrassing to be fighting over a small thing.

"Why couldn't you guys just take turns in having it?!" Ichigo asked.

"We tried! But they said that they needed it every single day!" Renji replied angrily. "So can you be our representative, Ichigo?" Ichigo was pretty fast at running, but he was way to busy. He had to study for all the tests, and do his homework; he didn't want to get a bad grade, (who would?).

"Sorry, Renji! I'm to busy to practice everyday. You should go to someone who isn't that busy." Ichigo said.

"Come on, Ichigo! Please do it for the Karakura track and field team!" Renji begged Ichigo. "Besides, who's almost as fast as Shuhei-senpai and isn't busy to participate in this?! Please; we need this practice field!" Ichigo thought for a while. _'Even if Renji begs, I still can't do it, so I got to find someone fast and that isn't busy. Someone fast and that isn't busy…. Someone fast and that isn't busy…"_ Then an image of a girl had popped out of Ichigo's mind. _'…She was fast when I first saw her… and she isn't busy… Perfect!'_

"Hey, Renji!" Ichigo shouted.

"What?!" Renji's eyes were sparkling with hope. "Did you change your mind, Ichigo?"

"No," Renji's head had lowered down, "But I know someone who can!"

"REALLY!!!?" Renji shouted with joy.

"But there's one thing I want to ask you. Can girls participate in this race?" Ichigo asked.

"I…I guess so, because one of the Sakurano's representative is a girl…"

"Then this is all perfect, I'll just need to 'ask' her after school." Ichigo said with the sneakiest grin.

* * *

"Achoooo!" Rukia sneezed.

"Are you okay, Kuchiki-san?!" Orihime asked.

"I'm okay, my nose just tickled a little."

* * *

**After School**

* * *

"Ichigo, hurry up and give me my bag back!" Rukia said. Ichigo and Rukia were standing in the middle of a row of desks, in their classroom.

"You know, you're attitude has been unusually weird today, you used to be all calm, then you became a goody-tissue, now your just so hot tempered, are you really sure that your not bipolar, or even tripolar?" Ichigo asked.

"I AM NOT!!" Rukia yelled. Right now, she didn't care if she yelled, because nobody was in the classroom at all, just the two of them. "It's because you've seriously made me mad! You're the one who stole my bag!" Rukia had tiptoed really high to match Ichigo's height a little. She didn't know that there was a book on the middle of the floor, **(What the hell?! Where did that book came from?) **that she had tripped and was falling backwards. She fell hard on the floor. Part of Rukia's shirt had shown her belly, it was pale, and on the right side of her belly, was a very long scar. Ichigo had seen it and was curious of why she had a very long scar on her belly. But before that, he had to help her up.

Before Ichigo could even lend his hand to Rukia, she had screamed at him, "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Ichigo's eyes had widened, never had Ichigo seen Rukia scream so loud. Then he realized that all this time, Rukia had always avoided touching him bare. When she had kicked his shin earlier, it was his pants, and when Rukia had held him up from falling onto the floor, she had been careful to only touch the cuffs of his shirt.

It was silent. Rukia had looked down, and was blushing, embarrassed for her actions.

"Sorry," Rukia had paused in her sentence, "It's…it's just that I don't need help."

"You could have said it nicer like, 'I'm okay, I can take care of myself.'" Ichigo said.

"Can you give my bag back now, Ichigo?" Rukia asked quietly.

"Can you be a replacement for one of the representative, for the track and field team? They have a competition next month with Sakurano High School's track and field team." Ichigo asked.

"Why are you changing the subject, Ichigo?"

"Just answer my question."

"If I say 'no'…what will happen?"

"You're not going to get your bag back for a whole month." Ichigo said with a grin.

"WHAT!" Rukia protested. "I already went to school to get my bag back, now you're going to make me join a team?!"

"If you promise to practice everyday, and participate in the race, then I'll give you your bag back tomorrow afterschool." Ichigo said. Rukia had thought for a while, about a minute passed by, and then she came to a conclusion that she had to agree. She needed her wallet and cell phone back.

"Fine." Rukia replied.

"Good, meet the team tomorrow, at the school track, around 3:30 in the afternoon." Ichigo said. "Oh and if you break your promise, then you have no pride at all."

"I never break my promises."

* * *

**OnigiriKami:** I feel so asian right now, because I'm drinking green tea and eating rice crackers (yummm). Oh, if you're wondering about the scar and why Rukia didn't want Ichigo to touch her, they will be revealed slowly through the chapters. The flashback from chapter 3 will be also be revealed slowly through the chapters. Also if you don't get why Rukia was a good person to be in the track and field representative, it was because in chapter 1 Ichigo saw how fast she ran out of the school, and how she always skips class means that she doesn't have any homework or tests. Oh and about the random Rukia sneezing part, you know how Japanese say that if you sneeze, it means that somebody is talking about you, well Ichigo was talking about Rukia, and that's how I stupidly gave a hint to you guys.

Why does Rukia have a scar on the right side of her stomach? (will most likely be revealed in next chapter)

Stay tuned to find out!

**REVIEW!!!**


	5. Chapter 5: Friend

**OnigiriKami:** Sorry I didn't updated on sunday, my computer is like 4 years old and it doesn't work that well. So I'll be updating randomly, but I'll try to get a chapter every week! Well this chapter is pretty dramatic to me! Please read all the way till the end so that I can explain some things that might confuse you! **READ AND REVIEW!!!!!**

**Disclaimer: **I do **NOT** own Bleach!

* * *

"Finally!" A petite little girl was holding her bag preciously like she was holding a baby.

"So you remember the promise, right Rukia?"

"Didn't you hear me the other day, Ichigo? I never break my promises." said Rukia.

"Remember that the practice is going to start thirty minutes from now, at the tracks." Ichigo said.

"Yeah, yeah I remember." Rukia replied. She had been sitting on her desk and was still hugging her bag. Ichigo thought that there was something that he had forgotten to tell or ask, but then he thought that it wasn't that important and let the subject drop.

"Okay, then see you later Rukia." Ichigo said while heading for the classroom door. He had reached for the shiny golden door knob, twisted it, went out of the door, and then shut the door behind him. Rukia had stopped hugging her bag, right after Ichigo exited out of the door, she had sighed and said:

"….It's going to be a long day…."

**______________________________****Track and Field Team****________________________________**

"Shuhei-senpai, when is the new kid coming?" said a man who was bald (well he would prefer to call it a "shaved" head)

"I don't know yet Ikkaku." Said the man named Shuhei. He had a 69 tattoo and a duck tape on his left cheek, also he had three scars going down from his right eye. He also had three black chokers, one on his neck, and two on his arms. He was wearing a white shirt that had its cuffs rolled up and black jersey short, that each had a yellow number on them that had a 69. He had a cast on his right leg, and two metal crutches were supporting him. "But he should be here any minute now."

"QUIT FOLLOWING ME, YOU CRAZY WOMEN!!!" the shouting of a young man had came from a little behind of Shuhei and Ikkaku, probably somewhere near the back of the school.

"At least that guy's here." Shuhei said. They turned around to see a small white haired kid who was running away from a crowd of women.

"AHHHHHH! HE'S SO CUTE; I JUST WANT TO PINCH HIM!!!!"

"I KNOW, I KNOW RIGHT!!!" The crowd of women had just caught up with the small boy and was gathering around him. They all felt his cheeks and were stretching them out.

"SHUHEI! MADARAME! HELP ME!" shouted the kid, while flailing out his arms. He was enduring all the girl students' pinches on his cheek.

"Toushiro, you know that you can outrun them!" Shuhei replied.

"I WAS CHASED ABOUT 50 TIMES AROUND THE WHOLE DAMN SCHOOL!" Toushiro yelled.

"Good, you got a little warm up."

"SHUHEI! YOU BASTARD!" Just before Toushiro was going to be drowned by the swarm of girls, all the girls had suddenly fell down on the ground. The white haired kid was on the ground, exhausted; he looked up to see who his savior was. It was a girl about his height, a little bit smaller, and had black hair. The girl had purposely thrown her big heavy bag at the crowd of crazy fan girls.

"Oh! Sorry my bag accidentally slipped out of my hand." the girl said with the sweetest and the most sarcastic voice, that it had sickened Toushiro. She had pick up her bag from the ground and started to pat off the dirt on it. Toushiro had gotten up and was brushing the dirt off of his butt.

"Thanks…." Toushiro said, looking away from her.

"Your welcome….anyways….do you know where the track and field team is?" she asked.

"We're the track and field team, why?" asked Shuhei. She looked a little surprised.

"Oh! Then you must be…" she looked him thoroughly "Shuhei-senpai…?"

"Yes I am Shuhei, now tell me why you're here."

"Oh! Yes! I'm the replacement for you!" she replied with realization.

"HAH?!" both three guys had said aloud. Ikkaku and Hisagi's eyes looked shocked, and Toushiro looked like he wouldn't accept her already.

"You're Kuchiki Rukia?!" Hisagi asked. "Isn't that person supposed to be a male?"

"Hah? Didn't Ich-dammit-Kurosaki-san tell you?" Rukia asked with her voice cracked in the middle.

"No, we had no notice that you were a female."

"Oh! Sorry Shuhei-senpai! I forgot to tell you!" said another voice behind Hisagi. "That, Kuchiki Rukia, is a girl."

"Abarai?!" asked Hisagi.

"Yep… I was going to tell you that the person was a 'she' afterschool, but I had to stay a little late in class." Renji responded. Renji walked towards Rukia and put his hand forward for her to shake. "Hello Rukia, the name's Abarai Renji, 1st year." Rukia had ignored the hand and just bowed her head and said:

"Hello, Abarai-san!" Shuhei had realized that he didn't introduce himself properly, neither did Ikkaku or Toushirou.

"Ahhh… Let me introduce myself…again…. My name is Shuhei Hisagi, 4th year, nice to meet you Rukia." Shuhei had tucked a crutch under his arm and moved his hand forward to let Rukia shake it. Again, she had just ignored the hand and bowed her head.

"Pleased, Shuhei-senpai!"

"The name is Madarame Ikkaku, 3rd year…" Ikkaku had run and put his head right underneath Rukia's face, it had somehow shined in the light's reflection, "….And I'm not bald!"

"Ye-yes Madarame-senpai…." Rukia said awkwardly, while backing away an inch. Ikkaku nodded his head in acknowledgement. The last person to say his name was now the white haired kid.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, 4th year." Toushiro grunted. He saw that Rukia looked a little shocked. "What!? You thought that I was a kid, well go look in the mirror and see how old you look!"

"No! No! It's not like that! It's just that I've never met a fourth year before, Hitsugaya-senpai!" she said, she looked a little further behind Toushiro and then warned, "Hitsugaya-senpai! The girls are becoming conscious again!"

"OH SHIT! NOT AGAIN!!!!!" Toushiro had started running from the screaming fan girls. He had ran until he turned to a white dot and then disappeared out of sight.

"Shuhei-senpai…why do those girls chase Hitsugaya-senpai?" Rukia asked.

"Oh, that, it's just that all the ladies thinks he's so cute, like a….elementary schooler." Hisagi said. "You may not see much fan girls, because you're just a freshman, you should see how crazy the women are in junior and up…"

"Ohhh…so it's like that everyday for him?" Rukia asked.

"Yep."

"Wow… he must be having a tough time…"

"It's okay, he's not called the 'White Dragon' for nothing." Shuhei said.

"Why do you nickname each other?" Rukia asked.

"It's an honorary name that we give to each other, but only the best can get a nickname that all of the people can know about in school." Hisagi replied.

"Is there a meaning to these nicknames?"

"Yeah…for example, Toushiro's nickname is called the 'White Dragon', because he runs so swiftly and he got the 'White' from his hair color. Mine is 'Kazeshini', because I'm the fastest runner in the whole school, and also people believe that I'm so fast that I could cut through wind." Hisagi said the last part embarrassedly.

"WOW!" Rukia squealed in true amazement. Shuhei had liked that she was enthusiastic, but then she was still a girl, so she might not be able to be a representative. He had to talk about this with Renji and Rukia.

"Okay, let's get down to business!" Hisagi said. He looked at Renji. "Renji I don't think that Rukia can participate in this competition, isn't there only supposed to be a representative from our team?"

"No, I don't think that you only need a representative from a team, because there is this girl who is representing for the team in Sakurano and isn't in their track and field team." Renji replied.

"Okay, then that's fine, and it settles it…" Hisagi turned to Rukia and smiled and said, "Welcome to the team, Kuchiki."

"Thank you! Please take good care of me!" Rukia said. Hisagi gave her an approving nod and then shook his hand, meaning to follow him. It took a pretty long while to go where ever Hisagi was leading Rukia, Renji and Ikkaku, because it was difficult for him to walk in his crutches. He had lead them to a little dirt area, there were white lines stroked on the ground, it was the 100 meter dash.

"Okay! Listen up Kuchiki, I want to see your sprinting speed! Go start from the beginning…" Hisagi pointed to the starting point of the 100 meter dash, "…and then run as fast as you can when I say to go."

"Yes!" Rukia replied in army style. She ran to the starting point of the little track. She had a ready position on herself.

"Ikkaku, bring the stop watch here as fast as you can!" Hisagi shouted to Ikkaku. Ikkaku nodded and ran into the little white building next to the school building. Ikkaku had ran into the school P.E. gym. Three minutes had passed and then Ikkaku had returned with a blue and yellow stop watch.

"Here you go, Shuhei-senpai!" Ikkaku said, he wasn't even out of breath.

"Thanks, Ikkaku." Hisagi said, and then he turned back to Rukia. "Okay, on your mark!" Rukia had positioned herself perfectly on her mark. "Get set!" Rukia lifted her butt up. "Go!" at the word go Hisagi had immediately turned on his stop watch. Rukia had dashed to the end as quickly as she could. When she had passed the finishing point, Hisagi had stopped his timer. He looked at it and smiled.

"10 seconds! Exactly 10 seconds! This is great, Kuchiki! This is pretty fast!" Hisagi said. Renji looked really surprised, his mouth opened, and Ikkaku looked pretty impressed himself.

"Hahaha!! Thank you, Shuhei-senpai!" Rukia replied breathlessly with a little blush and a smile.

"Okay, since you are done with your sprint test, tomorrow I'll just introduce you with the rest of the track and field team." Hisagi said.

"Oh there are more members?!" Rukia asked.

"Yep. There wouldn't be just only about four members in this team."

"Okay then, where do I meet you?" Rukia asked.

"At the P.E. gym, about lunch time. Pack your own lunch, so that we can all eat with each other." Hisagi said, "And I'll introduce you to all of the other team members, also I'll show you the route that you need to take around the relay competition."

"Okay then!" Rukia said with a smile. But really in her mind, she was pissed, she didn't want to meet all these people and eat lunch with them. Lunch time was her sanctuary! Well since she made a deal with a certain orange head, she had to do this. "May I go now, Shuhei-senpai?"

"Oh! Sure! Goodbye, Kuchiki." Shuhei said farewell.

"Bye Rukia!" Renji said.

"Later, Kuchiki" Ikkaku said, and then he closed his head on her face again, "And remember, I'm not bald!"

"S-s-sure!" Rukia said, while a sweat had rolled off of her face, _'I get it already!'. _After everybody said all of there goodbyes, except for Toushiro (who is being chased by girls around the whole town by now), Rukia had went to the front wired gate and walked to the direction of her home.

Hisagi, Ikkaku, and Renji had waited a little longer. They saw Toushiro walking back to the school, out of breathe.

"I'm.... back..." Toushiro said.

"Okay, now that Toushiro is back, let's talk." Hisagi waved his hand to make the little group huddle in more near him. "So what did you guys thought of Kuchiki?"

"I don't like her." Toushiro said immediately. Hisagi looked at him with a questioning look. "She's weird and we don't need her, we got Ikkaku, he can replace you!"

"Toushiro, since you weren't here, I'll tell you this, Kuchiki ran ten seconds in the 100 meter dash!" Hisagi exclaimed. "She almost beat your record, she's 0.1 away from your best score, and 1 second away from mine!" After hearing this, Toushiro's eyes widened, he immediately turned his head away from Hisagi.

"Fine then, Shuhei, but I still don't like her." Toushiro responded.

"Good, I didn't say that you had to like her, I just wanted to know if you can accept her as a team mate." Hisagi nodded at Toushiro, and saw the other two, Ikkaku and Renji. "How about you two, what do you think of her?"

"Okay." Ikkaku said.

"Good." Renji said.

"Okay then that's all! You guys meet at lunch time at the Gym, bring your lunch too." Hisagi said.

"Okay" the three had said in unison. The four walked to the front gate, one on crutches, and they exited the gate to set off to home.

**_______________________________________________________________________________**

Rukia had walked on the side walk of the small street. She had crossed the next block to her house. It was a small japanese traditional house. The roof top was with brown tiles, and the wood that held up the house was the color of mahagony. There was a little front yard, it had a little pond in the middle of it. In the pond swam three koi fishes in there. One was a magnificient golden one, another was white with speckled orange and black on it, and the other one was just plain white.

She reached the steps and slid of her shoes. She had gently put her shoes right underneath the house. She had opened up the wooden and paper sliding door.

In the house, there was a futon and a small table. There were some wooden drawers in the room, it had Rukia's clothing in it. There were three more rooms in the house, one was the living room, another was the kitchen, and the other one was the bathroom.

Rukia first changed her school clothes. She had chosen a long gray flare skirt that went to her knees and a emerald green tanktop. She went outside again and there was a small wooden mail box right next to the house, she went to it and opened the mailbox. There were three mails.

The first one was just the bills for the house, the other two was from her brother.

"Nisama..." she whispered, then slowly ripped the letter. It had money inside of it, about 150000 yen **(about 1500 u.s. dollars)**. Rukia's brother had always gave her money once a week, for her to pay for the bills and her food, if she had some money left over, she would save them untill the house bills had arrived, or she would buy something for herself.

Rukia looked at the other letter in her hand, she ripped this one apart more faster than the other one. It was a written letter from him.

**Beggining of the Letter:**

_Dear Rukia,_

_Have you been going to school, you made a promise with me that you would go to school everyday, no matter what. Did anyone found out about your secret in your new school? If they did then you must tell me immediately, so that I can move you to another town or city. I do not want that incident, when you were 7 years old, happen again. I am sorry that I could not live with you, because I have some business to do while I'm in America. I've found 'it', but it is to expensive, so I might have that ready for you in approximately 2 months. Remember, don't touch anyone at all until they can confirm that it is okay to touch others. And please don't catch a cold or anything, stay healthy._

_Sincerely,_

_Byakuya Kuchiki_

_P.S._

_Write back as soon as possible._

**End of the Letter**

"I know, Nisama..." Rukia said after finishing the letter. She was shaking hard. She had one hand holding the letters, and her right hand was squeezing her side hard, where her long scar was. She hated this scar, it was the cause of all of this! It was what made her life so miserable. She was now shaking even harder. one tiny tear had slid down her cheeks, then some more tears were pouring out, she was remember that time that had changed her whole happy life into hell, that had caused everyone in 2nd grade to call her a 'freak' and a 'monster'. That had made her move from places 5 times all alone, like a lonely nomad. It all started 10 years ago.

**Start of Flashback:**

_6 year old little Rukia had been shaking her little legs up and down of the car. She was on top of a brown booster chair. She had a baby blue summer dress on. Hisana, Rukia's big sister, was driving the car. She and Rukia had gone out to shop for some groceries._

_The signal lights had been red, all the cars passing by in the dark night were waiting for the signal to turn green. Hisana was a little tired of waiting, because she had to get to the market quick and needed to go back home and make dinner for Byakuya and little Rukia._

_The signal lights were still red._

_"Come on! Change already!" Hisana frustratedly said._

_"How much more longer, Hisana nee-san?" Rukia asked._

_"The lights hasn't changed yet, Chappy." Hisana said. She had nicknamed Rukia, Chappy, after the name of the rabbit that Rukia had idolized. Hisana had faced Rukia and then she turned back to face the road._

_There was a big white truck that Hisana had spotted and she had looked at this truck, because it started to just come in to the road, and it started to head towards Hisana and Rukia. It kept on coming to them with full speed, and it wouldn't stop. When Hisana realized that the driver wouldn't stop at all, she unbuckled her seat belt hurriedly and grabbed rukia and put her in an protective hug._

_"Hisana nee-san, what are you do-"_

_CRSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

_Rukia suddenly felt the car flip over and heard the glass of the car break. She felt one of the glass had stabbed her right side of her stomach and started scraping across her side. Rukia screamed of the pain and started feeling warm, sticky stuff trickling out of her side. She knew what it was. It was blood._

_The blood wouldn't stop bleeding. Rukia's eyes got heavier and she felt weaker. Everything grew dark and then she blacked out._

_~30 minutes later~_

_Rukia slowly woke up, she felt so dizzy and it wouldn't stop, she was growing weak again. She felt something heavy on top of her. It was Hisana, she had glass punctured all over her back and she was bleeding everywhere. Hisana had raised her head a little and looked at Rukia with teary eyes._

_"Rukia..... I don't want to leave you and my Byakuya!" Hisana said weakly, she had paused a moment and started coughing up a lot of blood. She slowly reached for Rukia's hand with her bloody one. Her eyes got more wet. "Why.... did this had to.... to...happen?!"_

_"Hisana nee-san?!" Rukia asked, her eyes tearing up. "Are you going to leave me!?" Hisana looked at her with a very sad smile._

_"I don.... don't.... want..... to leave you.... Chappy...." Hisana said, having a hard time breathing. "I wish I could always be with you and my Byakuya......." Hisana's eyes started pouring with tears._

_"Nee-san! Hold on a little longer! I'll get help!" Rukia tried to move, but it only made her side bleed more, also Hisana had held her tightly not to leave her side. Rukia started crying hopelessly._

_"I......I don't.....wa.....want.........to.....die................alone." every word caused Hisana pain. "Stay... with......me.... Rukia.....until the end........."_

_"SHUT UP!!! THIS ISN'T THE END!!!!!" Rukia screamed. "JUST LET GO OF MY HAND, AND I'LL GET HELP!" Rukia's tears started spilling out._

_Hisana shook her head, "Don't...... it's to late Rukia............." she started coughing up blood again. Her eyes had started to get heavy and it slowly started to close, and she had said three final words, before she left this world._

_"I....love you....."_

_Hisana's eyes closed gently and her hand on Rukia started to loosen and get cold._

_"NO!NO!NO!NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!" Rukia yelled at the top of her lungs. She started crying, and was squeezing Hisana's cold hand tighter. _

_Rukia had suddenly felt a little dizzy and her eyes had gone heavy again, it closed and she had gone back to the pitch black world. She was unconscious._

**End of Flashback**

Rukia had fell on her knees and was now tearing off her skin on her right side. She was crying hard and loud. She was screaming and yelling at the sky.

"IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

"I COULD HAVE SAVED YOU HISANA NEE-SAN!"

"WHY! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ME!"

"Stop crying, idiot!" said someone behind Rukia. She slowly turned at the familiar voice. Her eyes begin to widen when she saw who it was. He was all to familiar, his orange hair, his amber eyes, and his furrowed brows. It was Ichigo.

Rukia quickly turned away and began to wipe her tears away. She had made her voice sound calmer and she said, "Wh-what are you doing here, Ichigo?! Are you a stalker?"

"Idiot, I live across the street, I just realized after you were screaming like crazy!" he walked towards her and started to come closer and closer. Rukia started panicing. She didn't want him to touch her, she didn't want to infect him. She didn't want to give him her disease that could never be cured.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!!" she shouted.

"No!" he said, coming closer. Rukia didn't care anymore, she was going to spill her secret to him. She just didn't care, she wanted him to stay away from her, so that she could protect him from it. She wanted to move as far away as possible from him. She wanted to protect her friend.

"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!!! STAY AWAY FROM ME OR YOU'LL GET AIDS!!!" she screamed to him.

Ichigo hadn't shown any suprise or horror on his face, when he heard that, he just kept walking towards her. This time Rukia had started backing away from him.

"AREN'T YOU AFRAID OF ME!!?" she yelled. He kept coming closer. She started crying again, "WHY?! WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!?" She shut her eyes tight and crouched down on the ground. She heard Ichigo's shoes still tapping, then there was a silence.

Suddenly, gentle warm arms had started wrapping around Rukia. She instantly looked up and saw that she was being hugged by Ichigo.

"Like I care if you have AIDS!" Ichigo said.

"You don't care if you die?!" she asked and was crying more.

"My dad is a doctor," Ichigo said. He gently held Rukia's hand, "He's been studying AIDS for over 8 years. He says that touching won't effect you."

"I heard those rumors, but nobody believes that!" she said.

"Who care if it's a rumor or not!" Ichigo looked at her with fierce burning eyes. "You're my friend!"

Rukia started blushing. Her eyes had widened and tears started spilling out again. These tears were from grattitude. She felt like the most happiest person in the world.

"Ah?! Why are you crying, idiot?"

"Because I'm happy, you fool!" She punched him on the face.

"AHHHH!" He rubbed his face. "Oh wow! Just when I say it's okay to touch, you start punching me right in the face-AH!" Ichigo had been pulled into a tight hug by Rukia. His cheeks turned a little red.

"Thank you, Ichigo."

"Y-your welcome."

* * *

**OnigiriKami:** Okay about the AIDS part, Rukia didn't get it by sexual intercourse! And in this time period that I set this story in, people were stupid and thought that AIDS could spread just by touch. But the doctors know that it's not going to infect you by touch, only by blood and sexual intercourse, but the people at that time didn't think that it was true and ignored what the doctors said and thought the information was false. Oh and about how Rukia got the disease, it will be explained in the next chapter. Another thing, I don't know much about AIDS and I'm still researching, but if anyone knows about it a lot, then can you PM me and give me the information, if you do then thank you so much!!!!

Purple hair, golden eyes...

Stay tuned for more!

**REVIEW!!**


	6. Chapter 6: Reunited

**OnigiriKami:** Hello! I'm sorry for updating late, but I had tests on the first two weeks of school! It was crazy! So please stay tuned for a long time, because I am now going to update randomly. This chapter is pretty good! So please **READ AND RATE**!

**Disclaimer: **I do **NOT** own Bleach!!!

* * *

"Nice house…" Ichigo had surveyed around Rukia's house. She had invited him to tell him everything about her. Rukia was putting seat cushions, around the tiny table, in the living room. There was a little T.V. and a clock, and other things that a living room would have.

"Have a seat, Ichigo." Rukia said, while at the same time she was patting her hand on the cushion, indicating to sit. Ichigo went into the living room, and sat on the cushion that she wanted him to sit on.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked.

"No, thanks" Ichigo shook his head.

"Okay then." There was pause, then Ichigo was first to ask.

"So… what happened?" Ichigo's voice had echoed around the room. "How did you get AIDS?"

"… a car crash…."

"How did you get it from a car crash?"

"So straight-forward, as ever!… I lost a lot of blood, and then I went to the hospital…"

"Oh…." Ichigo had finally knew how she had gotten AIDS, so he did not have to ask anymore. She had gotten this deadly disease, by having a blood transfusion, that unknowingly had HIV in it. "So that's how you got that scar…"

"Huh!? When did I tell you that I had a scar?!" Rukia shouted in surprise and was ferociously blushing.

"I.. well… saw it yesterday…"

"YOU LOOKED IN MY SHIRT!!?"

"What?!" Ichigo yelled, and had jumped up of his seat. "You make it sound like that I'm a pervert!"

"What if I am!" Rukia had jumped up of her seat also.

"Hah?! Who would be attracted to your flat chest!?" This had made Rukia angry. She balled her right fist, and punched Ichigo at the left cheek. He had flew at the wall of the living room, and landed with a hard impact. He got himself up and had rubbed his back.

"You're…lucky that….you're a girl…" he said with pain. Rukia looked outside for a while. It had gotten dark and she turned around to look at her clock. It was 6:57.

"Ichigo, I think you should go home. It's getting late." Rukia told Ichigo. Ichigo had looked up at the clock also.

"Damn! If I be late, dad will say something stupid about curfews!" He rushed to the front door, and hurriedly put on his shoes. He opened the sliding door, and held the door for a while. He was pausing half way through the door.

"Hey! Rukia. Come to my house after school." Then he ran out and left to his house. Rukia looked a little curious to why he had invited her over tomorrow.

She was closing the door. Before it was closed shut, she saw the stars.

"Hurry, Nisama…."

* * *

Ichigo came to his door. He was getting very tense, he had his guard high. He slowly opened the door. One sweat had rolled off of his cheek. Then he yanked it open.

Just when Ichigo had opened it, there was a large foot heading to his face. Ichigo grabbed it and twisted it around, and pushed it down towards the ground. His dad had landed to the ground with strong force.

"OOF!" Ishiin got up almost instantly, "You forgot about your curfew, mister!"

"What the hell!? Is this how you greet your son after he helped his own friend!?" Ichigo yelled, and pointed down at Ishiin.

"This is called father-son bonding!" Ishiin had raised up his hand into a fist, and his eyes were sparkling. Ichigo had kicked Ishiin in the face.

"You call this father-son bonding!? Fishing or something like that is father-son bonding!" Ichigo said.

"Then next time we can go fishing together! Son!" Ishiin put his thumb up and put on a big smile.

"No thanks! Who would do it with a father like you!?" After hearing that, Ishiin put his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. He faced away from Ichigo. He was mumbling some stuff.

"What horrible father I am…. What have I become Masaki?…I'm an embarrassment to Ichigo…." Some sweat head rolled down Ichigo's face out of awkwardness. Ichigo was about to leave before he remembered something that he had to ask his father.

"Hey, dad?" Ichigo asked. Ishiin had turned bright again turned around to face Ichigo. _'What a crazy recovery…'_ Ichigo thought.

"Yes, my son!?" Ishiin said with both hands clapped together, in front of him. "What is it….maybe an apology, and then we can go fishing?"

"No!.." He hesitated, before he could ask this to his father. He was thinking if he told this, he would regret ever asking him. "Can a friend come over?"

Ishiin looked down again, because he was really expecting an apology. He looked at Ichigo and said, "Who is it?"

"She's Rukia…"

Ishiin immediately brightened up again, " A 'SHE', YOU SAY?" He rubbed his back onto Ichigo's chest and winked at him. "My little boy has finally become a man!"

"Huh?…." Ichigo's sweat had rolled off of his cheeks more. He regretted asking him now. It took him a while to realize what his dad had meant. When he did actually get what he met, Ichigo's cheeks had colored pink a little, and he pointed a shaking finger, his voice had stuttered, "W-w-what a-are you saying! She's not my g-g-g-g-g-girl- AHHHHHHHHHH! I CAN'T EVEN SAY IT!"

"Nii-chan! You have a girlfriend!?" said a gentle voice, from behind Ichigo. She had very light brunette hair and she had soft gentle amber eyes, next to her was a girl with black hair and very dark brown eyes, she had a bored looking expression.

"YUZU! KARIN! Your big brother gots himselfa woman!" Ishiin yelled and was cupping his chest. The black haired girl, known as Karin, had kicked him.

"Stop doing that! That's really gross, you old fart!" she had turned to Ichigo, "I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff, Ichi-nii."

"NO! Nii-chan can't have a girlfriend now!" Yuzu yelled. Her personality was much like her father.

"No! Yuzu! This is a perfect chance to finally give me some grandbabies! About five of th-" Ichigo had landed another kick on Ishiin's face, to shut him up. Ichigo's face had gone red from anger and other reasons **( …. ;D)**.

"There's nothing between us! Other than being friends!" Ichigo had stomped his feet upstairs, to his bedroom.

"He didn't have to get so mad about that" Ishiin said while rubbing his face.

"This is bad… He's becoming more idiotic like you , dad…" Karin said. "He doesn't even know that he likes this girl."

"NO!" Yuzu yelled.

"YES!" Ishiin had yelled at the same time.

* * *

Ichigo had woken the next day. He had gotten ready. His white collared shirt, grey pants, and a belt on. Before he left home, he picked up his school bag. And out, he went.

"Ichigo!" He whipped his head around at the familiar voice that belonged to his friend, Rukia. He turned his head away from her. It was her fault that his family thought that she was his _'girlfriend'_.

Rukia had gotten angry of Ichigo when he looked at her and then ignored her, like she wasn't there. She ran up to him and kicked his butt. It went straight into his pie-hole. Ichigo had jumped from the pain. And then she put down her foot "I'm talking to you! KUROSAKI ICHIGO!" she said.

'_How can I like this crazy violent woman?'_ he thought, he was rubbing his butt. He felt relaxed when he persuaded himself that he did not like her. He let her join him, to walk to school. When they had reached there, Ichigo saw that Rukia was still following him, and she was not going to the tree.

He turned around and looked at Rukia. "Aren't you supposed to go to the tree, where you usually hang?"

"Hmmmm….today is a nice day to go to class…" Rukia said, ignoring what Ichigo had said, and went on ahead to class 1-3.

"Hey! Wait up!" Ichigo yelled and then ran to catch up to her.

* * *

"Hi! Kuchiki-san! Why weren't you here yesterday?" Orihime had asked Rukia.

"Oh…no real reason…" Rukia said. "So what did we do in class, Inoue?"

Orihime had been a little surprised, because Rukia's voice had become unusually boyish, and she had addressed her like Ichigo did. "Oh okay, we mostly need to study for the test that's coming up on Friday."

_**BEEEEEEEEEP**_

"Everyone! Back to your seats!" Ochi-sensei had ordered. She took out her roll call sheet. She had started to call out peoples names. Afterwards, she looked in her agenda, to see what was next. "Okay….everyone! We are going to have a school festival in a week! It's celebrating our school's 50th anniversary, the student council will hold it."

One hand had shot up.

"Yes? Arisawa?" Ochi-sensei had tilted her glasses a little.

"Do we have to wear a kimono or yukata?"

"No, that's only an option. Anymore questions?" Ochi-sensei searched around the room for any hands. Nobody had raised their hand. "Good, now I will pass out the events in the festival…. Inoue, please pass these out."

"Yes! Sensei!" she ran up and gently grabbed the papers.

Rukia leaned on her arm. _'tch… a school festival, how boring…'_ Rukia had already planned to not go to the festival. She had never really enjoyed fun stuff anymore. She was just going to stay home and rest.

On the left side of Rukia, Ichigo had thought the same thing. But he knew that eventually "somebody" would drag him there. It was going to be embarrassing.

* * *

**Lunch**

* * *

Rukia had gotten her bento out of her locker. She had prepared it last night. She didn't bring her usually pocky, because she wanted to show her new team that she ate decent, healthy meals.

While Rukia was trying to walk out, a very light brown haired girl came up to her and called her. A black haired girl called her also.

"Kuchiki-san!" Orihime called out.

"Oi! Rukia, are you going to sit under that tree, again? Can we talk to you there….it's urgent…" Tatsuki asked.

"No, I'm so-"

"PLEASE, KUCHIKI-SAN!" Orihime begged. Rukia looked shocked, whatever the reason was, Orihime wouldn't be this desperate to talk to her. She couldn't do nothing at this pitiful sight. She crouched down, to where Orihime had just fallen, and she opened her mouth and smiled gently.

"Okay."

~10 minutes later~

"So…what is it, Inoue" Rukia asked. Tatsuki had suddenly left them alone, under the tree.

Before Orihime had spoken, her cheeks turned red. She looked down to her knees.

"I know I asked you this before, but do you….like Kurosaki-kun….?" she asked.

"Inoue! I already told you! I. Don't. Like. Ichigo." Rukia said very cold and seriously. Orihime's eyes had widened when Rukia had said Ichigo's name, without any formalities, or anything. She looked at Rukia, and then turned her head away a little. "What makes you always think like that, Inoue…?"

"It's…it's just that…whenever you both are near each other……. I don't know why…..but I get…jealous…" Orihime said truthfully. Her hands were on her knees and she grabbed her skirt tightly. "I…I…don't know why I always feel like that…I feel disgusted at myself….for doing this to my friend…" Orihime's face began to fill with tears.

"Friend…." Rukia said. "That's something really great to have…" Orihime lifted her face up, because she was surprised how calm and sad her voice had become. "I never had any real friends…until I met Ichigo…."

"Ku…Kuchiki-s…san?" Orihime called her name while she was hiccuping from the lack of oxygen.

Rukia's face had turned to a smile again at Orihime.

"Ichigo is just a precious friend!"

Orihime started to cry more, she had felt so guilty. She had not trusted Rukia's words. The worst thing of all was that she did not want Rukia to have Ichigo. She felt more disgusted. Ichigo wasn't all hers! That was what she was thinking.

"I'm….I'm….sorry…Kuchiki-san…" Orihime had kept repeating these words, tears pouring. Then she suddenly jolted when Rukia had hugged her gently like a baby.

While hugging Orihime, Rukia was closing her eyes tight. _'I'm touching someone, who doesn't know about me having…. I trust you Ichigo! You better be right, about being able to touch other people! If you're not right, I'll kill you!!!'_ She hugged Orihime a little tighter.

"Sometimes, friends need to comfort each other." she whispered softly. After a while, Rukia had stopped hugging Orihime. She saw her wiping her tears and sniffing.

"Thank you, Kuchiki-san." Orihime said. She got up and then ran to the school building to catch up with Tatsuki.

Somewhere, deep down in Rukia's heart, she slightly felt uneasy. Then she suddenly realized that she had to meet the others in the Gym. She got her stuff up and she ran to the meeting place. She just hoped that they wouldn't get mad. _'Especially that grumpy Hitsugaya!'_

* * *

**Gym**

* * *

"Your late, Kuchiki." Hisagi said, with an annoyed face that he rarely made. His undamaged foot was tapping on the Gymnasium polished wooden floor.

"Sorry, Shuhei-senpai! I had an urgent matter that I had to attend to, before meeting the team!" Rukia said. She had an awkward smile on, and she was scratching her had from embarrassment.

"Tch. You stupid slow poke." said the white haired boy that was next to Hisagi's left side. He had his arms crossed to his chest and was looking at her with intimidating eyes.

Rukia had tried to ignore her anger at this remark. She just said with her goody voice and clenched her teeth, "Sorry for being a slow poke, Hitsugaya-senpai." Rukia then saw Hisagi slapping the back of Toushiro's head. _'Hah! He deserved that!'_

Toushiro had rubbed his head. "SHUHEI! YOU BASTARD! DON'T TREAT ME LIKE A KID!"

Rukia tried to stop her laughter, but it had already been to late. She laughed and held her stomach, and little tears of pain came out. Toushiro's and Hisagi's eyes had shown surprise.

When Rukia's laughter had calmed down she had turned away from the two surprised boys. It was really strange, she couldn't hold her laughter now, she couldn't control her laughter. Had it been Ichigo who made Rukia more lively? _'Maybe it is…'_ she smiled a little and then she turned around to the other two. She bowed her head in apology.

"Sorry, Hitsugaya-senpai…." She was thinking of an excuse, "I was thinking about something funny earlier, and I laughed at the wrong time…" She looked at Toushiro and saw that he didn't believe her. _'He's sharp at catching if someone is lying or not.'_ Rukia and Toushiro stared at each other for a while. A fight without words. But then someone had interrupted.

"Okay! Since you've apologized already, I'll show you the rest of the members, Kuchiki." Hisagi said. He limped to a door at the back of the gym. Rukia followed Hisagi when he said too.

In the room were some white lockers and it stunk of sweat. There were about ten boys waiting there. After that, Rukia had realized where she was.

"Sh-Shuhei-senpai!? Isn't this the boy's locker room?!" she asked.

"Oh, it's okay, Kuchiki, no one will attack you or try to undress in front of you, I warned them not to." Hisagi said with an reassuring smile. Rukia felt a little relaxed after what Hisagi said.

He indicated Rukia to sit on the bench that was right next to the bench that the boys were sitting on. She faced them. When Rukia looked at each of them, she could only recognize two of them: Renji and Ikkaku. She waved at them with her hand. Renji had waved it friendly, while Ikkaku nodded his head.

"Okay, the first one right here," Hisagi had pointed to a boy that had black hair and had very strong looking legs, "Is Shin Abekawa, 2nd year." The boy named Shin smiled and waved at Rukia.

"Nice meeting you, newcomer!" Shin said. His voice was a little soft, almost like a girls'.

"Second, we have Tamago Abekawa, Shin's twin brother." Hisagi pointed to the person next to Shin. He looked just like Shin, but had green eyes instead of brown ones, and had much more lean legs.

"Yo." Tamago said. He had a darker voice than Shin's

"Don't make fun of Tamago's name, or you'll really get it!" Shin said. "He doesn't care if you're a girl. He'll beat the crap out of you!"

"Thank you for warning me, Shin-san." Rukia said to Shin. She put on a smile which had made Shin blush a little.

"Third is Shou Takahashi." Hisagi next pointed to a half daydreaming red head, his hair was ruffled up and he had bored brown eyes, Tamago nudged him off of his daydream and then Shou shook his head. "He's a lazy 3rd year."

"Sorry… Shou Takahashi." Shou introduce himself.

"We already introduced your name, Shou." Hisagi told him.

"Oh, sorry…what's her name again?" He asked, pointing at Rukia.

"It's Rukia Kuchiki! You idiot!" Tamago slapped his head. "God! Pay attention, and stop daydreaming, you ass!" **(first curse ever wrote in this story!!!)** Shou had rubbed his head slowly. He had a weird poker face on, he didn't even look like he felt pain. After five seconds, Shou went back to his daydream.

"Ahum!" Hisagi cleared his throat, to get everybody's attention again, " Fourth is Renji, you already know him, Rukia. Fifth is Kaito Abarame he's in 3rd year." The guy named Kaito, had yellow hair and blue eyes. He wore glasses and was reading a book that he looked very fond of. He didn't even say 'hi', and nobody bothered to nudge him.

"He doesn't like to be disturbed when he's reading, or he'll get pissed." Hisagi said. Rukia nodded in understanding.

"Sixth is Tsuki Hatarou, he's a 4th year." This guy that Hisagi was talking about, had light brown hair, pale skin, and very light brown eyes.

"The moon will be full in a week…" Tsuki had said randomly.

"That jackass is a little bit weird." Tamago said to Rukia. She didn't like how he spoke so roughly and cursed to everyone. But she ignored that and just nodded her head.

"This is Fai Lon Li, he's a 3rd year and he's from China." Fai Lon had glasses on and everything on him looked neat, like his hair and clothing.

"Nice meet you!" Fai Lon said with difficulty of pronouncing each word.

"Okay, sixth is Ikkaku, you met him also, seventh is Yumichika Ayasegawa, he's in the 3rd year." Hisagi said.

Yumichika had a mirror on his left hand and was fixing his bob hair. He ignored Rukia and was mumbling about how he looked so beautiful.

"Eighth is Hikaru Jinnai, he's the same grade as you, Kuchiki." Hisagi said.

The black haired boy just nodded to her and said, "Hi."

"Ninth is Hikaru's older brother, Ichirou, he's one year older than Hikaru." He pointed towards a shy looking guy. He looked a little like his younger brother, but had bluish-black hair, and had one piercing on his left ear. He gave a small wave at Rukia.

"And last is this brat here, Taka Souchirou, the same year as you also, Kuchiki."

Taka was almost the same size as Rukia, but slightly shorter. He had brown hair and clear blue eyes. He looked offended, when Hisagi said that he was a brat.

"I'm not a brat, you faggot! I'll tell my dad!" He threatened.

"Go ahead, idiot, you know it's true that you're a brat!" Tamago shouted at him, he was defending Hisagi. Taka pouted afterwards and didn't speak again.

"So since we're all done introducing each other, let's eat lunch!" Hisagi said. He had opened his locker suddenly, and took out a bento. Everyone else had gone to their lockers and began eating their bento. Rukia took out hers in her bag.

* * *

After everybody had eaten their lunches. Hisagi, and the other team mates lead Rukia outside of the school, to the streets of Karakura.

"Okay! Kuchiki, memorize where this route is perfectly, this is the relay that you are going to do with Toushiro and Renji." Hisagi started leading the rest of the group. They had turned many corners and many streets, it was about 3 hours long! About 15 miles!

When the route was over, Rukia had been exhausted. Her legs felt a little numb also. The other boys looked tired too.

"The Sakurano will challenge us in 3 weeks, so the representatives have to practice on this track everyday. I'll ask the couch if I can give you guys excuse notes for your classes." Hisagi told Rukia. "You are all dismissed. School's over now, so just go straight home. I'll give the office all of your excuse notes."

"THANKS, SHUHEI-SENPAI!", all the boys had said except for Shou and Tsuki, the daydreamer and the weirdo. Rukia had said it in unison also. Then the boys all had gone home. But Rukia had to go back to school, to go with Ichigo, to his house. Hisagi and Rukia had walked together.

* * *

"Is this the school?" said a girl's voice.

"Yah. This is it." said a tall, thin, silvery haired teenager and had his eyes slanted and always wore that fox like grin. He had a red jacket on and black pants, also a black tie. On the left side of the jacket, it had read 'Sakurano High'.

"This is going to be interesting then." said another boy near the school front gate. He had brown curly hair and deceiving eyes, with a fake soft looking ones.

"I'll go alone, you guys stay here. I can deal with this." The wind had blown hard for some reason and purple hair had been tossed around, a red ribbon was loosening. Golden eyes watched. She knew that:

She had already won the competition.

* * *

Ichigo leaned against the front gate. He had been waiting for Rukia, for about 30 minutes. He was getting pissed and he could feel his veins popping from his head. His left eye twitched out of annoyance. He lowered his head a little, away from the hot sun.

He saw feet coming towards him. First he had thought it was Rukia. But when he looked up, he saw a purple haired girl, with golden-amber eyes. The girl had noticed him also.

"Hello." she said playfully. She looked kind of strange to Ichigo, when he thought, he found out that it was her uniform. It had a red jacket, black ribbon, and a black skirt. On the left side he could read the words _'Sakurano'. _

He had overreacted when he saw what school she went to. He pointed at her.

"AHH! WHAT'S A SAKURANO DOING HERE!!?" Ichigo questioned. She danced around a little in front of him, before she answered.

"Just visiting a friend."

"Tch! Trying to break more legs!"

"It's true, I'm visiting an old friend!"

"HAH! Like I'll believe that!" He sneered. Then he looked around to see if Rukia was in sight. He spotted her almost instantly. She was running towards him and was smiling. "HEY! RUKIA, OVER HERE!!"

After hearing the all to familiar name, the girl had suddenly whipped around, her face looked sly, and her grin was twisted. "Hey! RUKIA-CHAN!"

Rukia had stopped running to Ichigo. Her mouth had dropped open, and her eyes had widened. She dropped her bag. She pointed with a shaking finger.

"What a-a-are you...d-d-doing here...?!"

"Long time, no see, Rukia-chan." Her eyes had become cold, but her playful tone had not gone away. Rukia dropped to the ground and before she stared blankly at the cement she whispered something:

"Senna......!"

* * *

**OnigiriKami:** Oh no! She's back! What will happen to Rukia and Ichigo!?

Anyway, should I make Rukia and Ichigo fall in love, or just a friendship story? All my friends say to just make friendship, but I don't really know. If there is a error in my writing, then tell me. Hisagi is still coming slowly to the school, remember, he has a broken leg. Also, how did you thought of my made up characters?

**REVIEW!!!**

Stay tuned, to see what Senna has to say to Rukia!


	7. Chapter 7: Realization

**OnigiriKami:** Hello people! The almighty Riceball God is back! Yeah baby! Well here's the seventh chapter! Oh and did you saw the genre change? It turned from friendship to romance! YAY :D! Hope you guys are happy about the chapter, I think it was kinda to fast though, and this chapter is shorter than the others. Well hope you guys like it!

**Read and Review! :D**

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Bleach!

* * *

"Hello, little Rukia-chan." Her wretched smile. Her cold golden eyes that were full of hatred. Her knowing, sneaky eyes. The familiar poison purple hair, and the scarlet ribbon, flowing like blood. Senna. Rukia's ex-best friend.

Rukia had looked up from where she was crouching and tried to answer without trembling from anger and fear. "Wh-what are you doing here Senna!?"

"Didn't I tell you? I came here to talk to my old friend!" She said with the biggest grin that was pasted on her face. She looked at her hand like there was something on it. "…maybe about the upcoming race…."

Rukia's eyes had widened, her purple gaze was fixed fiercely on Senna. "YOU WOULDN'T DARE, SENNA!!!"

Senna's eyes laid on Rukia's face, and her face had looked calmer, "Oh Rukia-chan! You still don't know me that well do you?" She paused and had her playful face on. " I seriously would do it, Rukia!"

Ichigo looked at the two women talking to each other. He didn't know what the hell was happening at all! First, Rukia had suddenly broken down when she had saw this stranger from Sakurano, called 'Senna', and then now they were talking about things that Ichigo couldn't even figure out.

" YOU DIRTY CHEAT!!" Rukia screamed, her eyes were glaring with hatred at Senna. To reply, Senna just gave her a small smile. Senna walked away past Rukia, who was still crouching on the ground, she stopped on her steps, without turning around, she said:

"Forfeit in 2 weeks." and then she had walked away.

Rukia couldn't breath, she was panicking now. She was trembling even harder. She wanted to cry, she wanted to cry so much. But she didn't want to let Senna hear her. Anything but letting Senna know that Rukia knew that she had won.

Ichigo couldn't bear it! Is heart couldn't bear seeing Rukia looking so pitiful. It was like a thousand needles had pierced him. He walked up to her and then was about to bend down to hug her. But he was stopped.

" Leave me alone, Ichigo…." she said so quietly that Ichigo almost didn't catch it. She was looking at the ground, with no expression at all. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. But he knew that he had to leave her alone. _'So long for coming over to my house!'_

Ichigo walked to where Rukia had came from, and where Senna had disappeared.

"Hi there!"

Ichigo immediately whipped his head around. He was in shock. It was Senna, who was staring at him with her golden eyes. Her back was leaning against a apartment gate.

Ichigo had hardened his face and made a mean, tough look. His eyebrows had furrowed more than usual.

"What do you want?!" Ichigo replied aggressively. Senna skipped around in a dance, towards Ichigo. She zoomed close up to his face, and stuck out her index finger in front of him.

"That's no way to talk to a lady!" She cheekily said while shaking her finger that was right in front of Ichigo's face.

She suddenly lowered her index. Her purple hair had covered her eyes.

"Hey, what's your name?..."

Ichigo hesitated a little, he didn't know what she was planning, but he might get answers to his questions if he gave her his name.

"Ichigo."

"That's a funny name....Ichigo!" she started laughing and then she lowered her head down. "Are you Rukia-chan's friend...?" her voice had become serious.

"Yeah... I guess..."

Senna's head had went up, her eyes were wide.

"WHAT!?" she said angrily. It might have been Ichigo's imagination, but he he got a twinge of jealousy in her voice.

"Ex-excuse me?"

She grabbed Ichigo's collar. She put her face close to Ichigo. Her eyes staring straight in his eyes.

"Stay away from her! You got it?!" She let go of Ichigo's shirt, and fast walked away from him.

"What the hell?" This had all turned messed up, he had to let Rukia meet his father! But now wasn't the time.

**_______________________________________________________________________________**

It had been about ten minutes since Ichigo had left her alone at the ground. Rukia heard a limping sound from behind and she slowly turned to it.

"Kuchiki?!"......It was Toushiro!

His forehead was covered with sweat and he was limping from exhaustion. He had been out of breath.

He glared at her, "What are you doing here, Kuchiki?"

Rukia gave a smile. It was very hard to smile.

"And you? What are you doing here also? Hitsugaya-senpai?"

He turned his head to the side, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hisagi saw me being chased by the girls, so he said that I should go to the school, because I'm the fastest compared to him now...." He whipped his head to Rukia's face and came one step towards her. "...And you, Kuchiki?!"

She turned her head away from him. She was tired of acting right now, so she didn't even try to disguise her voice and facial expression. It was the same monotone and unemotional face that she had made before meeting Ichigo.

"It's none of your business, senpai."

"HAH!" Toushiro pointed at Rukia as if he had finally caught her of doing something. "So you finally show your true self! Kuchiki Rukia!"

"Tch. Is that such a big deal, to find out my true personality?" She turned her head back at Toushiro. This time her eyes were cold. But he was not affected by it.

"I really don't like deceivers. Especially one person in Sakurano...." Toushiro's eyes had looked a little distant before he walked a little closer to Rukia. He knelt down next to her. He turned his head slowly to Rukia's face and his face looked serious.

"Sorry, Kuchiki, but I heard your little chitchat with that Sakurano."

Rukia's eyes had widened in horror, she looked at him. Her voice trembled a little.

"Forget what you saw!"

Toushiro paused for a second, he was thinking.

"No."

"What?"

"You've made me interested in this 'secret' of yours, I want to know what that was." Toushiro then stood up and limped a little to the school, his hands were in his pocket. Rukia stood up also.

"FORGET IT ALL!" She shouted in plea, but Toushiro didn't look back and said nothing. She crouched down again and cupped her face. "Why is this happening to me?!"

**_______________________________________________________________________________**

**1 week later...**

_Lunch_

Ichigo looked at the empty seat that was at his right side.

Rukia wasn't here today.

He sighed a little and went out for lunch. He took out his bento from his locker.

"Ichigo, the roof?" said Chad, that was behind him. He was pointing at the ceiling.

Ichigo shook his head. "Sorry Chad, you and Ishida eat without me."

He walked out of the building, and sat at the tree. The tree of their first encounter. The first encounter of Rukia Kuchiki.

It had been a long time since he sat here, about a week? Well that wouldn't sound long, but for Ichigo, it was a long time.

He looked at the lines that were drawn by Rukia. They were beginning to fade away.

He opened his bento, then he closed it back. He didn't feel hungry.

"Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ichigo jumped at the voice that was behind the tree. There, stood a short boy, almost the size of Rukia, but a bit taller and he had crazy white hair! His eyes were teal and they almost reminded of Rukia's calm eyes.

"What is it?" He said to the little boy.

He plopped down next to Ichigo. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the orange head.

"You know something about Kuchiki Rukia, don't you?" he said.

Ichigo stared at the boy, "Who the hell are you?!"

"Answer, Kurosaki!"

"Don't boss me around! Kid!"

Toushiro's veins popped. "I'M NOT A KID, BRAT!"

They were close to each other's face now.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY PUNK!?"

"SHUT UP! I'M NOT A PUNK! LOOK AT YOUR ORANGE HAIR!'

"LOOK AT YOUR WHITE HAIR!"

"IT'S NATURAL!"

"MINE IS TOO! SINCE YOU HAVE WHITE HAIR, ACTUALLY YOU'RE NOT A KID! YOUR AN OLD MAN!"

Toushiro grabbed Ichigo's shoulder and pinned him to the ground. "Now, Ichigo Kurosaki, tell me what you know about Kuchiki." he whispered.

Ichigo tried to get out of the guy's grip, but he was pretty strong for his height. He turned his head from the ground and looked straight into his eyes.

"What's it to you?! Why are you so interested in her?!"

"I don't really like people who keeps secrets to their team mates, also I'm curious to why she had such a blank expression on her face yesterday, this must be a big secret."

"Y-You! Were you there yesterday! Did you saw everything!"

"Sure I did, or I wouldn't know anything about Rukia keeping something from everyone. Also the best person I know that knows Rukia's secret is you, Kurosaki Ichigo." Toushiro strengthened his pin.

"Forget about what you saw yesterday!" Ichigo was surprised that the boy had suddenly laughed.

"You guys are funny! You both say the same thing! But the first time I refuse something, the second time won't change! Now tell me! This is also for the sake of the team! She might get us disqualified!"

Ichigo looked at the white haired boy with a very hard stare.

"I won't sell out my friend! Even if I die!" Then Ichigo used all of his strength to get the boy off of him.

"Tch! I'll find out what you two are hiding! I will definitely find out!" Toushiro shouted before he ran off to the class.

**_BEEEEEEEEEP_**

"Rukia.... We're in a little trouble right now, huh?" Ichigo talked to himself while looking at the sky that had clouds hovering it. Then he walked inside, to the school.

**_______________________________________________________________________________**

She was huddling under three layers of blankets on top of black haired head and wrapped around her body. She was wearing blue pajama with striped on it. She was trembling.

There was a loud thunder storm. Streaks of yellow and white were painted in the gray sky.

Then she heard a knock coming from the front door. She got up slowly, and opened it.

Suddenly wet, but warm arms had enveloped her. She looked up and saw orange in her blurry vision. She was crying.

She buried her head into his chest, and wailed loudly.

"I don't know what to do! Ichigo! I don't know anymore!" She said. All the tears streaming out of her eyes. She was breaking. Her heart was shattering. This was to much pain for her to bare.

"It's okay Rukia! It's okay! We'll get through this together, Rukia!" Ichigo' voice was trembling a little, his heart was squeezing at her pain. Some tears had come down from his face. He hugged her tighter in his arms. He wanted to protect her in this upcoming danger. He wanted to be her wall that would shield her.

Realization had struck him, almost like the lightening striking the mountains.

He was in love with Kuchiki Rukia.

" I **will** protect you, Rukia."

* * *

**OnigiriKami:** See, this chapter was fast. And the end was pretty random and fast, right? But I wanted to let Ichigo realize that he liked her first. Also for the next ten chapters, they will be 'fillers' about the track team member's pasts. This will give you a brief of there history and why they are like this right now. Oh and to the Hitsugaya fans out there, I do not hate Hitsugaya (he's my favorite guy character in Bleach)! All will be explained of his actions in the 'filler' chapter about him! Also I'm pretty depressed right now, so I'll be taking the chapters very slowly.....

An **egg** can hatch into anything.....

**10 MORE REVIEWS OR I'LL BE ONE MONTH SLOW! :D MWAHAHAHAHA! **

Stay tuned!

Press the precious button!

**ALERT! I WILL BE MAKING A NEW STORY IN 3 WEEKS! THE NAME IS ONE MONTH....! PLEASE READ WHEN IT COMES OUT!**


	8. Chapter 8: The White Dragon

**OnigiriKami:** Okay I deleted the first Chapter 8, because I rethinked and said that this is an extra nonsense and a girl or boy named **linette** who anonymously said that the chapter wasn't IchiRuki related. But the thing is **LINETTE** you didn't pay attention to what I said, I said that they were **FILLER** chapters. And the filler chapters are chapters to help you understand better in the story! Whatever, so I decided to make only one filler chapter about Hitsugaya, and why he was acting that way in chapter 7.

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Bleach! THIS STORY IS ALL MINE!

* * *

Under the azure blue sky, a middle school boy laid on the fresh smelling grass. A light warm breeze was carried out in the wind. He was laying in his back yard, underneath a big orange tree. There was a traditional Japanese house next to him.

He had one arm on the back of his white spiked hair, to be his 'pillow', and the other hand was holding a giant watermelon. The light red juice was dripping on the green grass, but the boy did not notice, and proceeded chomping on it.

He was indolently looking at the sky. He had been tired from his judo and kendo classes. He had not been called the 'child prodigy' just by random. He had to work hard for the title. Practicing swinging his sword everyday, and using a partner to help him in his judo. It had put a lot of stress on his body.

"Shiro-chan!"

The peaceful face of the young boy had suddenly furrowed his eyebrows and a vein had popped out of his forehead. He turned his head to the direction the girl had came from. She tied her black hair into two little pig tails, the black hair was so short that when it was tied into that it looked like a stubby paint brush. Her gentle dark brown eye looked at him.

"Stop calling me that! Bed-wetter Momo!", said the annoyed Toushiro. His eye was twitching and glaring at the girl who was smiling, which made her look so naive.

"Guess what, Shiro-chan?!" Momo said with a sing-song voice. She was stilling smiling and had ignored Toushiro.

Toushiro just went back on chomping his watermelon. He turned around his head and looked at the sky again. He was not saying anything to Momo, so she just went on to what she was talking about.

"I just asked out senpai!" This had immediately gotten Toushiro's attention as he rose up in a sitting position again from where he had been laying on the mounded grass. He looked bewildered, almost as if he couldn't believe what Momo had said. Her, Momo the bed-wetter? Asking out a senpai? When did she had the courage?

"Tch! I bet he said no to you! I bet 1000 yen!" Toushiro said. This was to unbelievable. **(about ten dollars in the U.S.)**

"Then you better have 1000 yen right now!" Momo winked at Toushiro, showing that she had won the bet that had just been made seconds ago, "Because he said 'yes'!"

Toushiro was more bewildered than before. How could....who would.....huh? Somehow this had made Toushiro feel a little more protective for his step sister, because she was the only person that Toushiro had after his mother, step-mother, father, and grandma had passed away. **(this is a fanfic, and I think it would be better for them to maybe have a brother-sister relationship, also, I don't really know, but didn't they live together?)**. But he didn't always showed his protective side straight-forward. He would usually tease her, or indirectly show that he was worried about her.

Toushiro rummaged through his pocket of his grey skinny jean. He took out the 1000 yen and mumbled and groaned at Momo, while gently placing it in her hands.

"...And who is this unlucky man, that had accidentally said 'yes' to you?" Toushiro said sarcastically.

"He's the most incredible guy! He's handsome, gentle, charming, mature-"

"Just get on with it, you idiot"

"His name is Aizen-senpai!"

"How old is he, because you shouldn't go after grandpas!"

"Excuse me?! He's just one year older than me!"

"Does he go to your school?"

"No, but when I first saw him there, standing at the Sakurano school gates, I fell in love." Momo said and started to sigh, and had a far away look in her eyes, as if she was recalling the past.

"You shouldn't trust someone that you don't know well. This is suspicious....."

"I talked to him before! He had such a nice voice...." She sighed again.

Toushiro got up from where he was laying, and was stilling holding the half finished watermelon. He went to the steps of the old house and opened the sliding door.

"I don't care anymore! Do whatever you want! But if you get yourself pregnant, don't you dare set foot in this house ever again!" Then he slammed the door behind him.

He had a bad feeling in his guts. It was screaming at him that something bad was going to happen.

_'It's just a feeling....'_

_

* * *

_

**1 year later...**

"AHHH?! Toushiro?! You got into senior in Karakura High, this year?! But you're 2 years younger than me!" Momo pouted.

"It's not my fault that I'm so smart!"

"But you're one grade higher than me! Am I supposed to call you senpai now?"

Toushiro turned his head away. He blushed a little, "Yeah...."

"Nope! I'm going to call you Toushiro the whole time!" She stretched her bottom eye lid with one finger and stuck out her tongue.

"Hitsugaya-senpai!"

"No!!!! Toushiro!"

"Whatever! Do what you like!"

He paused for a while staring at space.

"I'm going to quit kendo and judo...."

"What?! Why?"

"I've already mastered them! Besides...."

"Besides what?"

"I want to join the track and field team.... there's a friend there."

Momo thought a little about this, before she answered.

"You can do whatever you like also Toushiro!" She smiled at him.

Her smile was so reassuring to Toushiro.

So gentle....

So peaceful...

How long would peace last?

* * *

**1 week later...**

Toushiro waited for Momo to come back from her date, with Aizen. Toushiro had only met him once, when both their track and field team had challenged a territory. He had been polite, but he had that very mysterious smile on his face and that brown eyes that looked so kind, was kind of creepy to Toushiro.

It had been 6 hours since Momo had left the house, and it was almost midnight.

Something was really bad.

He was sitting on his futon and was staring at his cell phone. He was waiting for her call.

If there was ever an emergency, Toushiro said for Momo to contact him immediately.

_RING RING RING_

It was Momo.

Toushiro had predicted right. Something bad was really happening.

When Toushiro heard Momo's voice, a sudden chill tingled up and down his spine. He heard Momo running and panting, and crying.

"Toushiro......"

"WHAT IS IT, MOMO!?" Toushiro yelled in his phone as loud as he could. He was panicking.

"Toushiro...I'm scared!"

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"I-I'm in an alleyway.....between the streets: Chestnut Avenue and Tsuchi Street....AHHHHHH!" Toushiro had heard a gun shot in the background.

"MOMO?! HELLO?! MOMO?!" She didn't answer.

Toushiro closed his phone and ran to the front door, and put on his black sneakers. He opened the sliding door and ran to the place that Momo had told him about.

It had taken Toushiro about 10 minutes to get to where Momo was.

He walked through the dark alleyway. It smelt of garbage and other disgusting decomposing things.

There, he saw Momo. She laid on her side and she was bleeding heavily on her left hip. The crimson blood never stopped flowing. She was panting heavily and she was holding the wound. Her hand was soaked in her own blood, and she was closing her eyes in pain. She looked pale, almost like snow.

"Momo......" Toushiro said. His voice was broken and he couldn't speak good, because of the horror he was witnessing.

"T-Toushiro......?" She opened her eyes slowly. Her brown eyes looked blank and it looked like she couldn't even see him anymore. "....I need to talk to....you....."

He walked closer to her and knelt down. He held her bleeding body and but her head on his lap. He didn't care if he was touching her blood.

These were her final words.

"He....I....know he....didn't do this for a....bad reason......"

"Was it Aizen!" Toushiro 's eye brows furrowed. "I told you, he was bad news!"

"He......didn't....do it for...for a....bad reason!" Momo started crying.

She knew that he had been using her for his own purposes. But she knew it was for a good reason. Or maybe she was just persuading herself that he wasn't bad till the end.

_'He used me....'_

_'He sold me out.....'_

_'He let people rape me......'_

_'Everything was a lie!'_

She snapped.

"TOUSHIRO! KILL HIM! I WANT YOU TO KILL HIM!" Momo yelled with all her energy. Her voice cracked in the middle and her eyes became red. "KILL HI-!" She suddenly went limp and the light in her eyes faded. She was staring at nothing.

Toushiro put his hand on Momo's eyes and gently closed it. He hugged her dead body. It had gone cold, the warmth was escaping out of her body into a lifeless doll.

Tears came out of Toushiro. This was his first time crying.

He was know all alone.

What was his purpose in life know? Now that Momo was dead, he had no reason to live. Oh yeah, Momo already had given him a knew purpose.

To kill Sousuke Aizen.

* * *

Toushiro waited in front of the Sakurano gates. The bell to the school had already rung.

He was waiting for Aizen.

Just as sharp as he was. Aizen had came out of the school gate.

"Aizen! Come here, I need to talk to you." Toushiro said. His voice was a monotone.

"Sure, Hitsugaya-san."

Toushiro lead Aizen around the streets and went curve to curve, until they reached an alleyway. In a corner of the walls, there was a red stain.

Toushiro stopped. But Aizen kept looking around the alley. He was now against a wall. Somehow he looked a little nervous.

"Where are we Hitsugaya-san?"

"Quit the acting, Aizen! You know where we are!"

Aizen slowly took out his glasses and gave Toushiro a smirk, "If I remember correctly....this is where Hinamori-kun died?"

"YOU BASTARD!" Toushiro said. He took out a pistol from his back pocket. His mother and father had hid it in their house, because they had worried that someone would sneak in to their house, because there was no lock on the sliding door.

There was 3 bullets in the gun.

Toushiro slowly cocked it.

"WHY DID YOU BETRAY MOMO!?"

"I had a debt to pay to the Asoka Family." Aizen had said so calmly. He slicked his hair back a little, "So when she asked me out, I thought that I could use her."

"YOU'VE BEEN PLANNING THIS OUT SINCE THE BEGINNING!?"

"Yes I did. It was fun to pretend being her boyfriend. She amused me."

"WHAT IS SHE TO YOU!? SOME KIND OF TOY!?"

"No, she's somehow.... a loyal pet."

Toushiro's hand were trembling from rage. He shot the gun, but missed, from shaking to much. He had gotten only a slice of Aizen's hair.

"You're going to die here, Aizen! Where you left Momo to die!!" Toushiro shouted.

"Actually, no I'm not."

"What?!"

"Don't you want this to be a little more fun, Toushiro?" This time Aizen had slicked his hair way back, one strand had fallen down. He dropped his glasses that he was holding and stepped on it mercilessly.

"Let's make a deal."

"And what is that, Aizen?!"

"You know about the upcoming relay competition? You're in it, right?"

"What about it?"

"If your team wins, you can shoot me, if mine wins, you shut your mouth and never bother me again."

Aizen knew that Toushiro wouldn't throw away his pride. He would accept this challenge no matter what, from his new enemy.

"Fine then."

"Then we will keep each other's vows."

Aizen reached a hand towards Toushiro, to shake it. But Toushiro ignored him and put his gun back in his back pocket.

Toushiro left the alleyway, with light taps on his shoes.

He wouldn't use any cheats. He wasn't that low.

He would play fair. But not let his team forfeit.

He would train his butt off.

Toushiro had to win this competition no matter what.

* * *

**2 weeks later...**

_'Damn it! Again!'_

Big hoards of girls was chasing after a short white haired boy.

Toushiro was a little late from the new member that was going to replace Hisagi.

_'That Aizen! He would stoop so low to knock out our best member! This person better be good!'_

He had been chased about 50 times around the whole school, by these crazy girls. Why couldn't they just quit!?

He saw Hisagi and Ikkaku waiting for them near the fields. He wanted to lose these girls.

"QUIT FOLLOWING ME, YOU CRAZY WOMEN!!!" He shouted at them.

He heard Hisagi saying, as if it were nothing of seeing Toushiro in a tight spot, "At least that guy's here."

The girl's in the back had started to creep him out when they were saying:

"AHHHHHH! HE'S SO CUTE; I JUST WANT TO PINCH HIM!!!!"

"I KNOW, I KNOW RIGHT!!!" The fan girls started grabbing for Toushiro's cheeks and were sucking him in the crowd.

"SHUHEI! MADARAME! HELP ME!"

"Toushiro, you know that you can outrun them!" Shuhei replied.

"I WAS CHASED ABOUT 50 TIMES AROUND THE WHOLE DAMN SCHOOL!" Toushiro yelled.

"Good, you got a little warm up."

"SHUHEI! YOU BASTARD!", just before Toushiro was drowned by the crazy girls that were pinching his cheek, they were all toppling against one another. He was tossed to the ground from the enormous impact.

Had it been Shuhei who had finally helped him?

But when he looked at the person who had rescued him from the suffocating girls, it was a short black haired girl. She had unusual dark purple eyes.

"Oh! Sorry my bag accidentally slipped out of my hand." the girl said with the sweetest and the most sarcastic voice, that it had sickened Toushiro. It reminded him of Aizen almost.

She walked toward the thing that she had thrown towards the girls. It was just a bag?! Was this small girl that strong?

She patted of the dirt from her bag. And Toushiro got up, and patted the dirt off of his pants.

"Thanks..."

* * *

**OnigiriKami:** Okay, I'm done. Did you like Toushiro's past? Does this explains a lot to you guys? Next chapter will be IchiRuki related. And to all the Hinamori lovers, I like her to, but I had to kill her off to make Toushiro's past to make sense. And I'm sorry that I made her crazy in her final moments! Oh and I made them step brother and sister, because it would be weird if I made them friends that lived together and I like their brother-sister relationship.

** linette**: sorry that I ranted to you in this. I was a little pissed right there, because I was pretty frustrated at my own story also, and I don't need someone to point it out to me that the story before was meaningless. So don't take that rant earlier personal :)

Also, If anyone has looked at my account, and read the summary of **One Month (and the name of the story will be 'Erased')**, I'm sorry, but I will be changing the whole summary of the chapter, because the story felt boring, and I came up with new ideas for it. Also the story is already out!! sorry :) (all I can do is smile -.-')

**REVIEW PLEASE!!!**

Also, did anyone watch Fade To Black in subs yet? If you want to watch it here:

animeseason (website)

It was so awesome!!!!

**AT LEAST 8 REVIEWS!**


	9. Chapter 9: Sanity

**OnigiriKami:** Hello! This chapter is pretty short, because I don't want to add to much info. Well this chapter is not that much info like.... It has somethings that will happen to the next chapter. Also, this is still IchiRuki related.

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer** Do not own Bleach! (I'm getting tired of saying this....)

* * *

"Hey Ichigo! Wait up!"

"You're slow!"

"Shut up! I'm putting on my shoes!"

Rukia had been fidgeting to put on her shoes, and still hadn't put on here school jacket. When she had done everything, she caught up to Ichigo.

As they walked the street peacefully, there was silence. All they could here was the pat of their shoes. The first one to break the silence was Ichigo.

"So….what are you going to do, Rukia?"

She raised her head and looked up at Ichigo, "What am I going to do about what?"

"About the Sannah, or Senno, or whatever her name is, thing?!"

Rukia's eyes looked to the floor, and she was frowning. She looked like she was in deep thought.

"I'm going to ignore her… I don't care what she does!"

"What was she planning, anyway?" Ichigo asked in pure confusion.

"Sh-she's very scary and is capable of doing many things to me….." Rukia looks like she was deep in thought again, almost as if she was seeing something that Ichigo couldn't. "She knows about my secret, and she's going to repeat the same incident that happened years ago...."

"What did she do?"

"She used to be my best-friend, which I trusted her the most, just like how I trust you..." She paused and looked into Ichigo's eyes, showing that she really did trust in him whole-heartedly. Ichigo had felt flattered and his ears burned from embarrassment. "One day, after I found out that I had HIV, she told a boy next to her, while we were playing tag, that I had it and then...."

"....and then what?"

"She gathered up a lot of children and threw rocks at me...I'll never forget the pain in my heart that she had made me!" Rukia's eyes looked bitter and she looked like she was going to puke from recalling the incident. She looked like her pride was shattered just by telling Ichigo "And now, she wants to repeat everything, she wants me to forfeit the race...."

"That cheat! Let me punch her, I don't care if she's a girl!" Ichigo yelled. Rukia had suddenly giggled and looked at Ichigo with a pleasant smile.

"It's okay Ichigo. You don't have to go that far."

His cheeks turned red, at the sudden outburst that he had made. He had now regretted saying what he said.

-------------

They had reached the gates of the school, and walked to class together. Other people had arrived there, wearing their familiar Karakura grey clothes, and white skirts or pants. As they were going into the building, they saw mini stands set up in front of the school, and a lot of people were helping out with putting up banners and everything else.

Ichigo and Rukia walked into the lofty white building and went to their class, 1-3.

When they entered in, as usual, the class had been noisy, with lots of people sitting on the top of their desks and groups of people huddling together. Rukia immediately walked to her desk and sat, while Ichigo came a little slower.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Ichigo turned his head towards his right and saw the very light brunette haired girl, that had the color of hair that was almost like Ichigo's, it was Orihime. She walked up in front of Ichigo and was slightly pink in the cheeks.

"Umm...um...." she glanced up into Ichigo's eyes and then her pink colored cheeks had gone to a deep red. "Are you going to the school festival that is celebrating Karakura's 50th anniversary?..."

"Yeah.... I have to go, Dad and my sisters will eventually drag me there....why?"

She turned her head slightly away from Ichigo and her whole face was now a deep scarlet. She smiled lightly and said, almost a whisper, "Oh...nothing.....", then she dashed away to the little mini desk that Tatsuki and some other girls were hanging around.

"What was that all about?" Ichigo scratched his head, while he was a little puzzled to why Orihime had asked him a pointless question, then he walked to his desk and sat on it.

**_BEEEEEEEEEP_**

First period had started again, and as usual, Ochi-sensei had walked in from the classroom door. She carried the same old attendance clip board. She stood in the usual 'teacher stand'.

All the students had rushed around to their desks, as if they were colorful fishes swimming in opposite directions.

Ochi-sensei looked into her attendance sheet, and as usual, read of the names of all the students in the class. When she had finished, she flipped her sheets and read out what it said, "Okay, people! We're going to have that 50th thing tomorrow, this Saturday!! WHOOHOO!" she said the last part with excitement, but she didn't get a response. "OI! Show some more excitement, class! You're school's turning 50!" there was no answer again.

"Uhhh...never mind...."

As she began her morning lecture, most people were secretly talking to each other, or passing notes. Ichigo saw that Rukia had a little letter in her hand and was nudging it at his elbow.

He grabbed the letter as quickly as possible and opened the paper.

_Kurosaki-kun.... can I go to the festival with you?_

_No! I don't mean like a date! I mean going with Tatsuki also!_

He finished reading it, and looked questioningly at Rukia. She pointed at Orihime, who had put her head down as much as possible.

He took out a pen and scribbled on the little piece of paper as fast as he could. He folded the little parchment and handed it to Rukia.

When she had taken it, she opened it and read it.

"Oi! What are you doing!? Stop eavesdropping!" Ichigo whispered at Rukia, who was completely ignoring him. She took out her own pen and scribbled some more on it, then she passed it back and the other person passed it to Orihime. "What did you do?!"

"Tch! Your to unromantic! I just made it better!" she sneered and put her head up with full pride in what she had done.

Ichigo turned his head around and saw Orihime reading it, with a half blushed face, which boiled red instantly, and her nose bled a little. He turned his head back at Rukia and furrowed his eyebrows.

"What did you do, Rukia!?"

"Didn't I tell you! I made your response more...romantic."

"But I don't want to sound romantic to another person!"

Rukia turned her head slightly to Ichigo and quirked her eyebrows.

"You have someone you like, Ichigo?"

Ichigo blushed like mad and he furrowed his brows more, as if he was trying to stop making his face red, but it only had made his face awkward. "NO I DON'T!"

"Kurosaki! Do you have something to say?" asked Ochi-sensei who had whipped her body around, from the chalk board.

"N-no, sorry, sensei!"

--------

Orihime read the letter again:

_Sure it's okay Inoue. **I'll be waiting~**_

Then at the bottom of the letter was two rabbits drawn with their hands held together. There names were written also. Orihime and Ichigo.

Her face became red and she was imaging him holding her hand at the festival. Her nose bled a little. This was to much for her to even imagine.

* * *

**Lunch:**

"Rukia!"

Rukia had been eating in the peaceful tree that she had never been to in such a long time. This time she brought a simple same old lunch. Her box of chocolate pocky.

She had just begun to take out one pocky, when Tatsuki had come to Rukia. Tatsuki sat down, right next to her.

"I know that this is asking for to much, but can you help me with something?"

"And what is that?" Rukia had quit acting the sweet goody-two-shoes **(I think that's what they are called....)** It had become tiring to even act, she wasn't going to lie her attitude anymore. She had friends now.

Tatsuki suddenly went on to the ground and bowed down to Rukia. She put her hands together as if Rukia was a god.

"Help Orihime confess to Ichigo at the festival!"

"One step ahead of you, Tatsuki."

"Huh?" Tatsuki lifted her head a little and quirked her brows.

"I'm planning to come to the festival, and help them get together..." Rukia winked at Tatsuki. This was ironic. When the festival was first mentioned, she had planned not to go. Now she was planning to go to the festival! "Are you coming too, Tatsuki?"

Tatsuki grinned a little and then elbowed Rukia.

"Of course! I'll bait Orihime!"

"While I do the same to Ichigo!"

"Okay, then we'll lure them in the class!" Tatsuki also gave a wink at Rukia and they both gave each other a high-five.

Then they started talking together and laughed crazy. Rukia shared her some of her pocky and they began to munching on it.

_'Only if everyday was like this'_

* * *

**Gym:**

Toushiro was staring straight at Kuchiki Rukia. What was she hiding. He wanted to know. This race meant everything to Toushiro! He wouldn't let Kuchiki slide. He was definitely going to fulfill Momo's last wish!

"Kuchiki!"

When she had heard her name and saw who was calling her. Her eyes widened and then she acted like she didn't hear anything. She was listening to what Shin was blabbering about.

He shouted out once more.

"KUCHIKI!"

She had completely ignored him. He was now furious! He walked to her and grabbed her. He yanked her all the way to the storage room. He locked the door behind him and pinned her to a wall.

"What are you doing, Hitsugaya-senpai!?" Rukia looked around where they were and sweat rolled down her chin.

"You know what!"

"What's your problem! Leave me alone!"

"This race means a lot to me! I can't leave you alone! After witnessing that!?" Toushiro said, he looked directly into Rukia's eyes.

"This has nothing to do with you! What is this race to you anyway!?"

"IT'S EVERYTHING!!!!" Pain had shown clearly on Toushiro's face. And Rukia was almost surprised. She now knew that he had a problem of his own also.

"Did...something happen to you?" Toushiro had loosened his grip and had let go of Rukia. He was not obliged to answer.

"Just leave."

"But, what happened to you?!"

"I said to leave, didn't I!?" Toushiro had screamed out. Rukia looked at him for a while more before she silently left the storage room, with Toushiro alone. He fell to the ground and looked pitiful.

"Put yourself together, Toushiro! This isn't you! Where has your sanity gone?!"

* * *

**OnigiriKami:** Okay so this shows that Toushiro is going pretty insane right now. BUT DON'T WORRY! I WILL MAKE HIM SANE AGAIN!!! Actually I have thought ahead of chapters and he WILL have a happy ending....oops...I spoiled it......... Well whatever! Oh and I found out that Japan doesn't have any lockers! Just pretend that they do here ;) Also the race is coming up in 2 more weeks, in that event of time, I'm going to make a lot of IchiRuki moments!! YAY!!!!

What will happen in the next chapter, when Orihime finally confesses her feelings?

Find out in the next chapter!

**REVIEW!**


	10. Chapter 10: Karakura Festival

**OnigiriKami: **Gonichiwa! It's Kami here! It's the festival! And if you read the first part, it is not meaningless, and not only for humor, it's to explain in the next chapter. Sorry about the goody-two shoe mistake!

Don't know what fluff really means, but I think it has some in this chapter at the end!

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Diclaimer:** Do NOT own Bleach!

* * *

**Before festival:**

"Oh ho! What a nice house!" said a man with a green striped hat. If you had first glimpsed at him, you would have thought that his favorite color was green. Green pants, green shirt, but the only clothing that he wore that wasn't green was a black coat with white diamond patterns on the ends. He wore wooden sandals, and almost all the time, his hat would cover his green eyes.

He tiptoed to the traditional house. He tried to sneak in to it, but was stopped by Ishiin.

"What are you doing!? Kisuke?! Trying to go into my sweet Rukia's house!?" yelled the angry Ishiin. Then he reversed to the easygoing Ishiin. He tried to go in Rukia's house this time.

"AH!AH!AH! What are you doing!? Didn't you just say-"

"HAH! She's Ichigo's girlfriend! So I'm aloud!"

"Oh no you don't!" Urahara had kicked Ishiin.

The two adults that were supposed to mature a long time ago, were fighting near a big tree.

Urahara was cornered near the tree and when Ishiin was going to give him the final blow with a hard kick, Urahara had just managed in time to block it. Ishiin's leg had caught in the tree and made a huge crack on it. The enormous tree slowly tilted over to where the little house was and crashed down, completely destroying the house.

The two were still fighting, but then noticed what they had done. There was an awkward silence and sweat started rolling off their cheeks.

"You know what? I think that she's at school right now...." said Ishiin.

"Oh yeah! I forgot that I had to do something...." Urahara said also.

The two men whistled away.

* * *

**School: (This is after school right now, and now the festival begins!!!!)**

"Oh! Oh! OH!" Rukia had looked fascinated by all the mini stands everywhere. She was in her school uniform, because she had not stopped by her house after she had left, also she did not care. Today was the day that Inoue confessed! So she had to work hard for her!

Ichigo was right beside her and was a little amused in how she was getting so excited from the festival.

"Is this your first time here?"

"YES! I never thought that it would be this fun!" she suddenly grabbed Ichigo's hand and ran to a stand that was selling masks. She searched around the little stand and was looking at all the masks. Then she saw one mask that was imaging a bunny, it was white and smiled dumbly at them. Her hands shook and she slowly reached for it, "Th-this is........."

"Huh? What's that dumb looking rabbit?" Ichigo had saw the white colored mask behind Rukia. She had suddenly launched a fist at Ichigo's face, which made him in pain. "AHHH! What was that for?"

"Don't insult this work of art! This is the limited edition Chappy mask!!!!" she yelled and was holding the mask tightly.

Ichigo rubbed his face a little more, almost as if he was getting rid of the pain like that.

"Tch! If you want it that much, I'll get it." he said. He shoved his hand in his pocket and took out a 100 yen coin. He tossed it to the stand keeper.

"Uh...Ichigo you didn't have to do that...I could pay for myself..." Rukia was blushing hard and was clutching the mask tighter now.

"Hah!? Fine then, I shouldn't have bought it- Oi, Mister, can I get my ye-"

"AH! Never mind! Thank you!" Rukia interrupted.

"That's what I wanted to hear!" Ichigo was blushing a little, then he turned away from the stand, "Let's go now, Tatsuki and Inoue are waiting."

Ichigo saw that Rukia was in thought. Then she shoveled around her school bag and took out her wallet. It was a baby pink rabbit pouch, where it opened from it's stomach. "Mister I would like to have that one!" she was pointing at a lion mask.

"You mean the Kon mask?" said the man. He pointed at the same mask that Rukia had pointed at.

"Yes! That one!"

"100 yen, please."

She handed him the 100 yen coin and walked to Ichigo. She was putting on her Chappy mask, and put it to the side of her head.

"You bought another mask?!" Ichigo asked, but then got a kick from Rukia.

"Idiot! It's for you!" she said and shoved it in his stomach. She blushed wildly and Ichigo had also. She grabbed Ichigo's hand, "Come on! We're going to be late!"

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"Shuhei! Why did you drag me here?!"

"Come on! You need to enjoy your last year here!" Shuhei said to the grumpy Toushiro. "Also, I didn't drag you here."

"Hah! You black mailed me!" Toushiro said, "You said that if I didn't come, then I would be kicked out of the race!"

Hisagi had spoke again, but Toushiro had started to ignore him, when he caught a glimpse of someone who looked familiar. She was near a stand that was selling masks.

It was Kuchiki Rukia.

_'What's she doing here?' _Toushiro squinted his eyes a little more, to see who was next to her. He was very tall and had orange hair. _'Kurosaki Ichigo....'_

"OI! TOUSHIRO! OI!" Hisagi had been balancing on one crutch and was waving his hand side to side to catch Toushiro's attention again. "OI! Toushiro, are you listening?"

"Huh?! Yeah I am! Stop calling me so familiarly!"

"You know, you've been cold since one month ago.....is it related to Momo's death?" Hisagi had hesitated on the last part.

"Keep your mouth shut, Shuhei." Toushiro said in a calm whisper. "Don't butt into my business."

"But, I'm your friend, Toushiro!" Hisagi said. "We used to tell each other everything.....but now.....your distant....."

"People change, Shuhei."

They stared at each other for a moment. But then, Hisagi limped to an udon stand, where there were a counter and a seat set up. He sat down on the stool and signaled for Toushiro to come over. So Toushiro slowly did.

"Let's eat together- I'll have a plain normal udon!" Hisagi said to Toushiro, then to the girl that was holding the stand.

"Sure! Coming right up!" the girl responded.

"Shuhei, you know that I don't like hot stuff......"

"Oi! Excuse me! Do you have any cold pickled radish?" Hisagi asked the girl one more time.

"Sure we do!"

"Can you give him some?" Hisagi had pointed at Toushiro. The girl nodded and went back to her chopping.

"Now we can both eat." Hisagi had turned back to Toushiro.

Toushiro had been picking on a chopstick that had come from the wooden box on the counter. Hisagi had stared at Toushiro for a little while, looking unsure of saying something that he wasn't supposed to.

"What's going on with you and Kuchiki."

Toushiro had broken the chopstick that he had just been holding. He glared at Hisagi.

"What do you mean....?"

"I'm not stupid, Toushiro. I've seen what you did yesterday, when you threw Kuchiki into the storage room."

Toushiro had gotten up from his seat and slammed his hand onto the counter.

"Didn't I tell you!? Don't butt into my business!"

"If this is your business, then why is Kuchiki involved?"

"Just shut up!"

"Your afraid of her, aren't you? Your phobia is her, isn't it?" Hisagi said, as if he was sure that he was right. Toushiro's eyes had widened at what Hisagi said.

"When ever a girl is near you, you act cold to them, and you are always harsh to them, and you act like you hate them so much." Hisagi said more. "Just like the time when you met Matsumoto Rangiku- she moved away, because of you."

Toushiro plopped back down in his seat. Hisagi said more, "Also, that's why your so harsh to those fan girls, aren't you?" Hisagi stared at Toushiro hard and said:

"That's right, you have philophobia, don't you?" Hisagi had said at last. "Did falling for Momo, and seeing her die really made you like this? Your afraid of falling in love with someone else, because your afraid that you will lose someone else important."

"You, this isn't like that..." Toushiro looked down at his legs. His voice sounded tired and weary. "......It's only about the race to me.....nothing more."

"Don't screw with me, Toushiro! The race! Is it that important to fulfill Momo's revenge!?" Hisagi was now staring intensely at Toushiro. "Let go of the past, and look at the future, it's slapping you right in the face, and you still ignore it! Momo wouldn't have wanted you to be like this!"

"Shut up..." Toushiro whispered, then he raised his head and looked at Hisagi straight into his eyes. He furrowed his brows and his eye lids had gotten wider, "SHUT UP! This means everything to me! Momo gave me a dying request that I must fulfill! I loved her! And I will not love anyone again!"

"Uh...uh?" the lady that worked in the udon shop had looked nervous and didn't know if she should interrupt them or not.

"Oh, sorry." said Hisagi, who immediately turned his attention to the woman.

"Uh...your order is here...." she placed a bowl of udon and a little plate of pickled radish.

The two stayed quiet and ate.

**

* * *

**

"Kurosaki-k-k-kun. Hello!"

"Yo, Inoue." Ichigo said casually. He had the lion mask that Rukia had gave him, around his neck.

"Hello, Inoue!" Rukia said also.

Orihime waved at Rukia. Tatsuki had greeted them both also.

"Okay, since everyone has been assembled, let's split into two groups again! I'll go with Tatsuki!" Rukia said, and they quickly ran though the crowded stand areas, leaving Ichigo alone with Orihime.

"AH! Come back, you guys!" Ichigo yelled. It just felt so weird alone with Orihime, he would have preferred to be with Rukia, where he felt more comfortable. He looked at Orihime awkwardly and said, "Let's go catch up with them."

Orihime had been blushing, "Oh okay, Kurosaki-kun."

* * *

Rukia had left Ichigo and separated from Tatsuki afterwards. She needed a rest under the tree that had not been touched by the stands, or even been near them. She sat there and was indolently looking at the starry sky. Her mouth was half open and her eyes looked tired and droopy.

Somehow, when she had left Ichigo with Inoue, she had felt a weird pang in her heart. It almost felt like jealousy. But maybe it was just her imagination.

Then suddenly she heard some foot steps in the night. It was calm and knew where it was going. She looked around, and the moment she saw him, she began to panic. How did he follow her? How did he knew where she was?

He had white hair and he was looking at her with his scary teal eyes.

"W-what are you doing here, Hitsugaya-senpai." she was on her guard now, and Toushiro had caught that she was.

"Don't worry, Kuchiki. I won't be doing anything strange." he said. His eyes looked tired also and he just leaned where the tree was, his hand was in his pockets, and his eyes were looking at the stars. "It's been a long time since I've seen stars."

"What's you business, senpai?" she asked with hostility in her voice.

"I came to tell you that I quit."

"Huh?" She asked with full surprise, Rukia hadn't seen this coming.

"I quit bothering you. And Kurosaki."

"You talked to Ichigo?!" she said furiously.

"You sound as if you like him." he said with amusement. Rukia suddenly had blushed. She couldn't control it at all.

"No I don't."

"Then why are you making that face?" Toushiro pointed at Rukia. She had made a sad expression, when Ichigo's name had popped out. "You do like him, don't you?"

"No, I don't.....even if I did, I can't...."

"And why is that?"

"A dear friend likes him." she said.

Toushiro went quiet, then he started to leave to the stands, "You should grab the person important to you, never let go of them, because you never know that you might lose them."

* * *

"Damn! Where are they!?" Ichigo said, Orihime was right behind him.

Then when Ichigo was near a dango stand, he saw Tatsuki munching on a dango carelessly.

"TATSUKI!!!" Ichigo yelled at the now jumping Tatsuki. She turned from her dango and saw them. Ichigo looked pissed and worn out while Orihime had looked embarrassed.

"AH! You guys!? What are you doing here!?" Tatsuki yelled, some dango was still in her mouth. She turned to Orihime and looked accusingly at her. "Couldn't you have stalled him a little more?"

"T-Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime's face had gone red.

Tatsuki turned her face to Ichigo now. "And you? You couldn't stop thinking about Rukia, couldn't you?!"

This time Ichigo had gone completely red. When Tatsuki had the opportunity, she grabbed Ichigo and Orihime's wrists and dragged them to the Karakura school building. She pulled them upstairs and then to a hall way of classes. Then upstairs again, to the roof of the school. She let go of their hands and shoved them in there.

"I'll leave you two alone...." Tatsuki smiled then disappeared behind the door.

There was an awkward silence. Orihime looked at Ichigo, his eyes looked down from the roof. He was searching for someone.

_'Gain your courage, Orihime!' _she thought to herself. She was persuading herself. When she gained a bit of confidence she spoke, "K-k-kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo's attention was still on the school grounds. He was still searching for someone.

When Orihime had called him the second time, he teared his gaze off of the school grounds and looked at Orihime, "Sorry, Inoue."

She lost it all, she lost the confidence. Ichigo was leaving out of the door.

Orihime had to tell him, she couldn't hold this any longer, she needed to do this. This might have been the only chance.

"Kurosaki-kun! I like you!" she yelled. Ichigo's head had slowly turned around when he heard her confession. His gaze had been soft, because he didn't want to hurt her.

"Sorry, Inoue."

It struck Orihime hard. The person that Ichigo had been searching for was Rukia, he had only thought of her the whole time. He was in love with Kuchiki Rukia.

Orihime wanted to cry, but she wouldn't show her pitiful self. It would only trouble Ichigo.

"Your to nice, Kurosaki-kun...." her voice was trembling, then she paused to recollect herself. She smiled at him to reassure that she was okay, "You should go, Kurosaki-kun! You should go spend time with the most precious person to you! The fireworks are going off any minute!"

Ichigo nodded his head, then left the roof.

Orihime was now in thought, she looked at the beautiful, night sky. A deep beautiful blue.

_'Kuchiki-san, it's okay now, it's okay to love him.'_

The door to the roof suddenly opened and Tatsuki had entered, she was out of breath, looking like she had climbed dozens of stairs. "What happened, Orihime!?"

"Nothing happened...." her voice sounded like she was in the verge of crying. She had been holding it, until Ichigo had fully disappeared.

Tatsuki walked to her and started to hug her dear friend, "It's okay Orihime, he's gone now, you don't have to hold your tears anymore." Just when Tatsuki said that, Orihime began to sob.

Then suddenly, fireworks boomed across the sky, all colors of it. The colors of red, white, blue, orange...and purple. Orihime raised her head from Tatsuki's shoulders, tears still pouring down her cheeks, and lightly smiled at the fireworks.

* * *

"I knew you were here."

Rukia whipped her head away from the fireworks, to see a breathless Ichigo.

"Ichigo..." she said with full surprise, "Weren't you with Inoue?"

"I wanted to see you."

Ichigo and Rukia had started blushing a little. They heard the fireworks soaring in the sky and people in the distance yelling out 'Tamaya!'*.

Rukia turned her head back at the fireworks, and Ichigo had joined her, by sitting next to her. She looked annoyed, "Tch! Just when I planned it, you ruined it!"

"Hah! You can't force people to love someone else!" Ichigo snorted.

Rukia looked at Ichigo with quirked eyebrows, " 'Someone else'? Ichigo, seriously! Who do you like?! I can help you!"

He just patted her head, and smiled, "Hah! I wouldn't tell you. Besides, I don't want to force her."

"Oh ho! So you do like someone!" Rukia pointed at Ichigo. Ichigo went quiet.

Then Ichigo suddenly grabbed her and hugged her. He was blushing a little on his cheeks, and Rukia had steamed like beets.

They both were quiet, staying in the hug a little bit, and then Ichigo said:

"Let's just enjoy the fireworks."

* * *

**OnigiriKami: **WOW! Orihime has finally confessed! But....sadly....she was turned down! Now chapters will focus on IchiRuki! I really needed to get over the triangle between Orihime, Ichigo, and Rukia! Oh and Toushiro is not in love with Rukia, only thinks that he might fall for her (but I won't make them pair! It's IchiRuki!) also he is mean to her because of that. And also he really wanted to find her secret, but now he is distancing from her, thus those were Toushiro's final words to Rukia (nah! he's coming up in later chapters again, so you guys, don't worry!). Shuhei gave him a very long lecture (in this, Shuhei is Toushiro's closest friend)! Does this answer your question, readers!?

Philophobia: fear of falling in love

* Tamaya: a firework chant in Japan

Questions about Ishiin and Yuzu and Karin not in the festival: because before the festival started, he told Ishiin that he was going with his friends! Ishiin cried pitifully....

I won't let Rukia die, this is a fanfic! That's why..... someone has come to cure her.......

What about Byakuya, you say?: he will be coming in later chapters!

'Till next time!

**REVIEW!**


	11. Chapter 11: Nothing More

**OnigiriKami: **Sorry for my late update, I got a little lazy.... well next chapter will be randomly updated also!

GOMENASAI!!!!

**READ AND REVIEW!!! XD**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH!!!!**

Rukia woke up tiredly in Yuzu and Karin's room. Her hair was a big black mess, and she had drooled. Ishiin had brought a extra bed, from the patient room, for Rukia to sleep in. The girl's room was stuffed and squishy, since there were three people who had to share one room.

It was very uncomfortable for Rukia, since she had been living alone for a while. She sat up from her bed and started stretching her arms, and then lazily wiped off her drool.

_'How the hell did it turn out like this? Oh yeah....'_

**Flashback:**

_"Let's just enjoy the fireworks."_

_Rukia pulled away from Ichigo's embrace. Her face had been nudged tightly into Ichigo's chest, so she couldn't breath at all. She gulped in a deep breathe, and started yelling in front of the dumbfounded Ichigo. _

_"IDIOT! I can watch the fireworks, without you suffocating me!"_

_"Ah... sorry, must not know my own strength." Ichigo scratched his head._

_Rukia rubbed her nose and glared at Ichigo. Then suddenly a burst of fireworks had come all at once, showing the last of the fireworks. This was the end of the festival, it was the festival's finale._

_Ichigo had suddenly got up, "We should go home now."_

_"What about Inoue?" Rukia asked him. He didn't responded quickly, it had taken him a while._

_"She wants to go home with Tatsuki."_

_"Oh..." Rukia got up from the ground, and used two hands to pat away the dirt out of her skirt. She got her bag from the ground and patted it off too, "Okay then, let's walk together."_

_At the words that Rukia had said, Ichigo's cheeks colored a little. They walked out of the gates, maneuvering through the dozens of stands. They entered the street, and walked on the sidewalk._

_Throughout the whole walk, they did not exchange words, and when it was the point to where they had to split up to each individual's house, they said their goodbyes. _

_"See you on Monday, Ichigo!" she walked toward the direction of her house. She smiled at him and she was still wearing the goofy Chappy mask._

_"You too!" Ichigo walked over his own house, then he suddenly had jumped when Rukia had shrieked into the air._

_"WHAT THE HELL!!!!!" Rukia screamed with both hands on her head, ruffling her hair. _

_"What is it, Rukia!" Ichigo ran over to where she was and to his amazement, he saw Rukia's house destroyed. A big tree had fell over it, and many tiles and wood planks had been scattered around the half broken house. "What the hell happened?" Ichigo had said in astonishment._

_"I don't know! How can this happen, when there was no storm!" Rukia yelled. "What if all my limited edition collections of Chappy are all ruined!"_

_"Uhhh..... shouldn't you be more worried about finding a place to stay.....?" Ichigo asked awkwardly, as if she didn't even heard his comment. Then suddenly, he heard running footsteps behind him, and he turned around to see that his old man had suddenly ran over to them. _

_Ishiin had looked nervously at Rukia at first, then he smiled at her (somehow, his teeth shined), and he put his fingers on his chin, like he was thinking, "Hmmm.... Are you finding a place to stay....?"_

_"Old man, why the hell did you suddenly pop up!?" Ichigo yelled kicking Ishiin in the stomach._

_"AH! I couldn't help it! I looked out of the window, and saw you--" he held Rukia's hand gently, "And this beautiful young girl walking together, and I happened to hear your conversation--"_

_Ishiin was kicked again by Ichigo, "Let go of her hand, you dirty, old man!"_

_"AH! You're so cruel, Ichigo!" Ishiin had rubbed the spot that Ichigo had kicked. "Well, Rukia-chan! We would really like you to live with us for a while, until we can find you a new house!" Ishiin clasped his hand with Rukia's, and his eyes started to sparkle._

_"Uh...okay....thank you... Kurosaki-san....." she said awkwardly, while sweat rolled off of her cheeks._

**End of Flashback**

Sadly, after Rukia had found out about her house being wrecked, all of her special edition Chappy collectibles had never been recovered. And all her clothing was not traceable, so she had to borrow Yuzu's clothing. It had pissed her off when Ichigo started laughing hilariously, at how she could fit into a 6th grader's clothing. The only good thing was that she still had her money, and cell phone.

_'Wait! How did Ichigo's father already know my name?!'_

Rukia had just notice this when she had recalled yesterday. How the heck did Ichigo's dad know Rukia's name, when she didn't even know him in the first place? Had Ichigo mentioned about her before, to his father?

_'Yeah, maybe that's it...'_

Rukia was interrupted in her thoughts by the waking of Karin. Karin rubbed her eyes and sat on her bed. She looked bored at Rukia. They stared at each other for a minute.

"Hey, are you and Ichigo going out?" Karin finally asked.

"Huh? Uhh.... WAIT! No we are not!"

Karin stared at Rukia once more in silence, then Karin laid back on her bed and faced away from Rukia. She got her orange blanket and tucked herself in. Rukia's vein popped when she heard Karin mutter:

"Tch! Another idiot."

* * *

"Good morning, Rukia-chan!" Ishiin squealed in delight as Rukia entered the kitchen. It was where they ate. The wooden table had many food piled up on it, almost as if there was a feast.

"Ah! Good morning, Kurosaki-san!" Rukia greeted back to Ishiin.

"Rukia-chan! You don't have to call me that! Call me Otou-san!"

"Huh? Otou-san?" Rukia asked, not getting the reason why.

Ishiin had went to a whisper, as if it was to dangerous to talk loud.

"It's because later on, Ichigo will be-" Ishiin was cut off when a foot landed straight into his face. Rukia turned around to see who was the dangerous man who had just knocked down Ishiin. It was the furious orange haired teenager, who was blushing.

"Ichigo! What did you do to your Otou-san!?" Rukia scowled Ichigo.

"Idiot! Didn't you know that he was giving you wrong thoughts in your head!?" Ichigo screamed at the thick-headed Rukia.

"Hah? You think that I don't know when someone's giving me wrong thoughts?!" Rukia was close up to Ichigo's face. And Rukia's knuckle had been below his chin.

The beat up Ishiin looked at them, through his bruised up eye and sighed like it was a dream, "Ahhh~ Young love! What I would give to be young again!" without even looking at the fallen Ishiin, Ichigo had kicked him on the other eye.

"AHHH! Son! Why did you do that! I'm blind now! And I was planning on going camping this weekend!" Ishiin cried. Then he stood up, with his injuries all fixed up.

Ichigo and Rukia started sweating at the quick recovery of Ishiin. They both, at the same time, thought, _'Uhhh...What great stamina....'_

"Okay now, everyone eat up! We're going camping!" Ishiin said while he flailed his arms out at the dining table. He got a punch from Karin this time.

"Crazy fart! Summer's almost over! Why would someone go camping at this time of year!?" Karin yelled.

"B-But.... we have a new family! We have to celebrate! You'll be the person who will be in charge of the nature walk?!" Ishiin bribed Karin.

_'I-In charge?!.....' _Karin thought. "Okay, you got yourself a deal."

"YOU HEAR THAT! WE'RE GOING CAMPING!!" Ishiin screamed to the heavens and started crying in joy. Then he zoomed to Ichigo and leaned on his shoulder, he whispered in Ichigo's ear, "This is payback for not bringing me to the festival... heh heh heh....."

"Ummm...?" said Rukia's voice.

"Yes, my dear Rukia-chan?"

"Well, how long is this trip going to last? We need to go to school, don't we?" Rukia asked. Ishiin had walked over to Rukia and ruffled her hair.

"You're such a good kid-- except for that boy, over there-- we'll be staying at Mount. Ishiin---heh, I named that!-- for three days!" Ishiin said, in a high squeaky voice.

"Ah... that's okay then..." Rukia said, relieved that it was short. "May I go somewhere?"

"I'm coming with you!" Ishiin had declared, before Rukia had even explained why.

"Oh! But it's my track and field team. They might be at school, practicing."

"Hah! I'll go with you, because Ichigo is not a man enough to protect you!" Ishiin said as loud as he could, as if wanting Ichigo to hear.

"Old man! I don't trust you! I'm going to go too!" yelled the pissed Ichigo.

* * *

"You're really going to miss three days of practice running?" Hisagi asked. His cast was now gone, and he was trying to recover (he SPRAINED his ankle, not broke it) He had looked like he had something on his mind, when he first sighted Rukia.

"Sorry, senpai..." Rukia said apologetically. Ishiin was focusing on Hisagi's face and looked like there was something on it. He glare at him, making Hisagi feel awkward at him.

"HAHAHAHA! I know! You want to come with us too! Isn't that right, uhhh... Junpei!?" Ishiin yelled at the surprised 69 tattooed man.

"Uhhh..... my name is Hisagi Shuhei......?" Hisagi asked, not sure if Ishiin even heard him.

"Well! Junpei! Come to the camping with us!"

"B-but! I need to stay, I'm the-"

"Okay then! Junpei-kun is coming camping with us!" Ishiin had grabbed Hisagi. "Where's your house, Junpei? I'll come with you!"

_'More like, you don't want me to escape...', _Hisagi thought. "Ahh... Kurosaki-san.... I can come alone..."

"Nonsense! We men must stick together!" Ishiin had dragged Hisagi, while Hisagi had pitifully pointed out where his house was.

* * *

**2 hours later...**

"HAHAHAHA! So how do you like it? This is Mt. Ishiin!" Ishiin yelled dramatically. Everyone behind him was growing tired, they had been following him in a nature trail for an hour already. Even the fastest runner, Hisagi, was getting worn out. "Just a little more! There's a great place where I found a waterfall near it, and the great part is, is that it's really warm!"

"You old fart! I thought I was supposed to be the leader of the nature trails!" Karin shouted at the man who had been leaving her behind. Yuzu was growing weaker, and she tripped on a little pebble.

"Otou-san, I'm tired, can we rest." Yuzu said, while she picked herself up. Rukia had ran up to her and was helping her dust off the dirt on her clothing. Then Yuzu tiredly went over to Karin's side.

"Don't worry, Yuzu! If Otou-san can do it, while on handstands, then you can do it to!" Ishiin had put both his hands on the dirt ground, and lifted his whole body. He started to walk on his hands, as fast a he could.

"I-Ichigo, how much stamina does he have?" Rukia whispered to Ichigo who had slowly caught up.

"Don't ask, I don't even know." Ichigo said.

"Why was I dragged into this?" Hisagi said lifelessly. His face was all gloomy. "Why me? Couldn't it have been Toushiro?"

_'Th-that would be worse...'_ Rukia and Ichigo thought again. Then they saw Hisagi becoming his old self again.

"Well, to bad for Toushiro! I get to eat marshmallows, I'll be boasting in to that bastard!" Hisagi said triumphantly, as if he has won a battle. He laughed as if he wanted to get rid of some kind of bad feeling.

'_Uhh.... another stamina freak....' _Rukia and Ichigo thought again.

Then Rukia had suddenly realized that Hisagi was staring at her. It felt like he wanted to ask her something. Did Toushiro lie about never bothering her again? Her spine tingled at the thought that Toushiro had told Hisagi about her. "S-Shuhei-senpai, what is it?"

"Ah? Ah! Nothing..." Hisagi was snapped out off his thoughts and answered quietly, he glanced at Rukia one last time, before he caught up to the running hand stand, Ishiin.

"The hell was that, Rukia?" Ichigo asked with worry in his voice.

"I don't know..." Rukia grabbed Ichigo's arm and squeezed it, as if it was soothing to touch him. Ichigo blushed and yanked his arm out of Rukia's hand. He was red, and somehow he thought that if Rukia squeezed his arm more, then she would know how fast his heart was beating right now. His heart had almost burst when Rukia touched him for comfort. Rukia looked up at Ichigo, with a confused look in her eyes, then she blushed a little and said, "S-sorry, I didn't know that I was hurting you."

_'STUPID! DUMB! BLOCK-HEAD!' _Ichigo screamed in his head. This Rukia was seriously thick-headed and didn't realize what she was doing. All the stupid things that she did to Ichigo made his heart race. This dumb idiotic stupid head! He just wanted to give her a good bump on her head to realize what she was doing to him.

"Tch! It's okay, let's just catch up with the rest of the crew!" Ichigo yelled, his face red and his brows were furrowed more than usually.

* * *

When they had reached the camp base, it was just how Ishiin had described about the waterfall. There was a huge waterfall in the middle, and trees encircled around the area. Rocks were near the big pond that the waterfall made. Steam had formed out of the water, making the pool of water foggy.

And there, in the middle of the big pond, was Ishiin. He was red from the hot heat of the water. But when Rukia saw him, she too had turned red, and covered her eyes with her hand. Ishiin was nude.

"OYAJI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Ichigo yelled at the infatuated Ishiin **(I don't really remember, but I think Oyaji means 'old man' in Japanese...)**

Ishiin had slowly reacted to Ichigo's response, his eyes looked dazed and his whole cheeks were red, "Oh, son, why don't you come and join me?" his voice had sounded like he had drank a lot of sake.

"HELL NO!" He turned to face Rukia a little, then he faced back at his father, "Get out of there, or you'll burn Rukia's eyes out!- OH MY GOD!" Ichigo saw a flying Hisagi, cannonballing in the pond.

"Ahh~ this is a good feeling." Hisagi said with peace in his voice. Then when he saw Rukia, he panicked, "K-Kuchiki! Go to the girls now!"

"Y-yes!" she ran clumsy with her hands still on her eyes. She tripped a little on the rocks, then picked herself right back up, to the girl's tent.

"Tch! Shuhei-san, I seriously didn't know that you were just like my old man!"Ichigo had noticed that Hisagi was not entirely focused on what he had said. Hisagi's eyes were still on the back of the petite raven haired girl, and now at the tent that she had disappeared too. This had made Ichigo feel insecure. "Shuhei-san?"

"Huh? Ah, sorry, Ichigo, do you want to join us?" Hisagi said. he had a light smile and his eyes had become unreadable.

"No, I'm going to set our tent." Ichigo walked away from the two men that was relaxing in the pool of warm water. He got the pack of tenting equipment, that was tossed carelessly to the ground, and opened it to start setting it up.

-----

When Ichigo was done with the pitching of the tent, he crawled inside and laid in there, tired, with sweat all over his body. The ground beneath him was all rough and poky, it irritated him. The only thing that had made him settle and fall asleep, was the sound of the waterfall falling into the pool, and the humming of the crickets. Night was falling.

-----

In the tent, Rukia had laid down, and was staring sadly at a white rabbit mask. She clutched it tight with one hand. Ever since Ichigo had given it to her, she had never stopped carrying it, almost as if she was scared of losing it.

She was replaying the memory in her head. She felt a little pain in her heart, when Ichigo had deliberately yanked his arm right out of Rukia. She needed his comfort right now, she needed his soothing touch. She then shook her head, almost shaking away her thoughts. She couldn't do it. There was no confidence in even falling for him. She always had resisted, but it was hard. All the time, she acted like a block-head, she never wanted him to know that she was very self-conscious. She dropped the white mask onto her stomach and stared at the tent 'ceiling'.

_'Thoughts of him... is not necessary............ nothing more than a friend'_

**OnigiriKami: **What was all that, that Rukia was thinking about?

Sorry if this thing has any mistakes! And if it was a rush then tell me (but try to tell me nicely!!) So maybe the next two chapters will be the camping. HEHEHEHEH, I let Rukia live with Ichigo.... This chapter is not meaningless, it is actually following the plot line!

WAAAH! Why did Hisagi have to be dragged into this! Ishiin, your so sly!

Next Chapter: The Courage Test

**ALSO THERE IS A STORY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO YOU ALL!!!! IT'S CALLED Her Summer In Japan!!!!! IT IS BY BleachedAngel13!!!! PLEASE CHECK ON IT!!! IT"S REEAAAAAALLLLLYYYYY GGGOOOOODDDDDD!!!!**

**REVIEW!!**

TO BE CONTINUED (DON DON DON!!! ( I like the dramatic effect))


	12. Chapter 12: Cursed

**OnigiriKami: **Sorry for the late update! I'm becoming busy each day! Well enjoy chapter 12, you MIGHT like it! Also, I already said this before, but please visit the story called Her Summer in Japan! It WILL be a very great story, so please visit it and review it!! Don't just read, review also!!

**READ AND REVIEW!!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach!! **

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Ichigo woke up the next morning, his orange hair messy and his back was sore from the hard floor. He had not sleep well, after all, three full grown men were sharing the tent. He started to stretch his arms and legs, and yawned, making small tears come out of his eyes.

"Yes, I like potatoes...." Ishiin said randomly, scratching his butt. He had not come out of the water for more than 2 hours, and he was now exhausted. Hisagi was also sound asleep, because Ichigo's father had forced him to stay with him.

"Potatoes up your butt, Oyaji!" Ichigo grumbled and got out of the tent. He went to the spring-like place and dipped his head into it. He scrubbed his hair in the warm, soothing water. Though he didn't pack any shampoo, at least some of the smell from his hair would go away. Afterwards, he rinsed his face out of the pool, wincing at the heat of it. He went back to the tent, taking out some mouth-wash, and began pouring it into his mouth. He twitched at the burning sensation in his mouth, and relaxed when he finally got to spit it out. Another trip in the tent to put on new clothing, and he was done. He wore a T-shirt, with some old pants. He didn't care what he wore, because it was only hiking, and it would get dirty eventually.

Ichigo stared lazily at the spring, and the steam coming out.

_'Ahh... I'm bored......._

_I wonder if Rukia's awake.....?'_

Ichigo walked over to the other tent. He got his hand at the zipper and he had heated up.

_'I'm not a pervert, I'm just checking up on them....'_

He slid it open a little, and a lot of sweat had rolled off of his cheek.

_'I'm not a pervert! I'm not a pervert! I'm not a pervert!!'_

Ichigo shut his eyes tight, ready to open it, but the tent had opened by someone inside. He was banged straight in the forehead, by Rukia's forehead. He fell to his bottom, clenching his teeth at the pain. Rukia had fallen back also, a hand rubbing her forehead, and she had tears forming in her eyes.

"Idiot! What are you doing!?" she glared at him.

Ichigo turned his head away from her, and his cheeks were pink, "N-Nothing!"

Rukia rubbed her head some more, then rubbed her eyes to see more clearly. She opened her mouth to a big yawn, before she also went to the spring. With both her hands, she gently and careful scooped up the water, and washed it over her face. She did it some more, until she felt clean and awake.

"Hey, Ichigo, can I have some mouth wash?" she asked. She saw Ichigo rummaging through his bag and got out the liquid bottle. She waterfall and started rinsing her mouth. She gave a final gurgle, before she spit it onto the ground. "Towel."

"Here."

"Thanks."

Rukia slowly began to dip half her hair into the pool, and rinsed it around the water. After she was done, she put the white fuzzy towel over her head, and rubbed it up and down.

"What's your Otou-san doing?"

"Sleeping.... dreaming about potatoes." Ichigo was suddenly surprised by Rukia's little giggles. She was laughing harder, which made her eyes form tears.

"S-Sorry.... I-I couldn't hold it.... any.. longer!" she started to calm down and wiped the tears off of her cheeks.

"What was that?"

"Your Otou-san is way to funny... I've been holding in the laughter for a long time." she smiled at Ichigo, with her cheeks still red from laughing to hard. Ichigo's eyes had soften with a bit of red on his cheeks.

_'To see Rukia happy.... thanks Oyaji....'_

"GOOD MORNING, ICHIGO!!" a big foot had aimed for Ichigo's head and Ichigo had failed to sense it, so he had to take the blow. Ichigo got the strike straight in the face, which made him fly all the way into the spring.

_'DAMN YOU! I HATE YOU, OYAJI!!'_

Ichigo had came out of the spring, his clothing were drenched in water, and his expression showed the he was fuming with rage. His left leg was bleeding bad, because when he had hit the water, his leg had scraped a boulder.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" he limped over to Ishiin that had clearly looked like he was ready to fight.

"Bring it on, son!"

* * *

"Let's go hiking some more!!" Ishiin screamed with one bruise on his cheek. He was kicked in the shin by Karin.

"I'm the leader!"

"Who said that?" Ishiin said, rubbing his shin in pain. Karin's face had looked red and was about to explode. She kicked him harder on the shin and when Ishiin's head had fallen down at the reaction of the pain, and Karin hit it with her elbow. "OOF! Okay, you can lead..." he said, grumpy in defeat.

"Heh! Follow me, everyone." She said, going ahead of the rest, while stomping her feet in triumph. Yuzu followed behind her older twin sister.

"Ahh!" Hisagi had yawned, and was now stretching his biceps. He had worn a black t-shirt, which he rolled the cuffs up to his shoulder, and was wearing some ripped skinny jeans. "I'm so tired."

"Are you alright, Shuhei-senpai?" Rukia asked in concern. She was wearing a light purple dress to her knees and a thin jacket.

Hisagi turned his head slowly at her, with his eyes in thought again.

Why was he like this? Why would his eyes be in question whenever he saw Rukia?

"I'm fine, Kuchiki." He glanced at her for a bit, before he jogged up to the mountain. Now that Hisagi had gone, Ichigo and Rukia was the only ones left behind. They walked quietly for a while, not exchanging words, until Rukia heard Ichigo grunting in pain.

"What's wrong?! Ichigo!" Rukia bent down, when she saw that Ichigo was hugging his left leg, his face was showing the immense stinging and pain. She opened the jean on his leg, which made Ichigo blush. She saw that Ichigo had a deep cut on his leg. "What happened!? Are you okay!?" her eyes had shown so much concern that it had overwhelmed Ichigo, and made him redder. "Ora! I'll help you."

Rukia grabbed Ichigo's left arm and rested it onto her shoulders, and became a support for Ichigo's body.

"L-Let go! I can help myself!" Ichigo complained, his body heat had increased as he felt his body against Rukia's.

"Shut up! Are you stupid! The bleeding will get worse!!" Rukia scowled him. She was showing her worry in her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes glared at him and Ichigo's eyes widened when he saw the immense feelings in her eyes, then he looked away from her, stubbornly admitting defeat.

"You shut up!-AH!" Ichigo's leg ached, and he felt the blood gushing out more as every step he took. He yelped in surprise, when he felt himself tripping backwards, landing on his butt.

"The hell are you doing?!" Ichigo's eyes had widened and his face had turned completely red when Rukia knelt down to the ground and started ripping the end of her skirt with her teeth. He pointed a shaky finger at her, "Wh-What are you doing, Rukia?!"

"Shut up!" her mouth was muffled by the cloth in her mouth. When the skirt had been ripped all the way up to half of her quadriceps. She took the purple cloth and began to wrap it tightly around right above his wound.

"Heh? You missed the wound." Ichigo said, after the moments of silence.

"Idiot, this'll stop the bleeding more efficiently! If I block the vein right up of your wound, then the bleeding would surely slow down, but if I did it on your wound, then it would just soak the cloth. What? You wanted me to rip my whole skirt off?! Pervert." Rukia said arrogantly.

"Shut up!" Ichigo's eye had twitched when he heard that and his face was uncontrollably blushing, "Who would be interested in a flat chest like you?!"

Rukia's vein had popped, "Excuse me?! What do you mean 'flat chested'," she pointed at her small lumps and said, " You see these! Hah, this is proof!"

"Uhh...."

"Huh? AH!" Rukia had turned her head away, when she had realized what she had done. Her face was now red and she was so embarrassed that she wanted to kill herself! "L-Let's catch up with the others, Ichigo!"

_'Changing the subject, huh?' _Ichigo thought in amusement. It was kind of funny watching the resorted Rukia panicking. It was a rare sight, and Ichigo was able to see it.

"Wah?!"

Ichigo felt Rukia pulling his arm again to set it on her shoulder. He turned to his left side to see her face, but she had turned it the other way.

Something strange was going on. Ichigo felt this sudden urge to see her face. He wanted to see her face so closely. He kept boring his eyes on Rukia's head, almost as if he was trying to make a hole in it.

_'Show me. Show me your face.'_

Ichigo's hand had involuntarily moved on it's own. He could have stopped it, but he didn't. He wanted to see her beautiful face. Her face that shines like the elegant white moon. The light that she had made in his dark empty heart. He was shivering a little as he felt her soft skin, and Rukia had turned at him with surprised violet eyes. Amber had met the deep purple. Their gaze not leaving each other for a second. Ichigo's head had tilted a little, making their lips inches away.

What was this urge to kiss her?

Why was his heart beating so fast?

Why did he want to hold her; touch her?

He leaned more until their lips were just millimeters apart. He saw Rukia's eyes widen to what he was doing. Just when he was about to touch her lips with his, she shoved him away. Her eyes stared at him in shock.

_'What was he about to do?_

_Was it just my imagination?_

_W-Was he going to kiss me?'_

She stares at him some more, and was about to speak, but Ichigo interrupted her. Ichigo put on a smile across his face and scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, I was only teasing you, I didn't mean to go that far!"

Ichigo saw Rukia's brows furrowed, her eyes looked almost like they were on the verge of crying, "DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" Rukia screamed at him and ran away from him.

Ichigo was left alone on the trail, his bangs hiding his eyes. His hand covered his left eye and he started laughing like he was losing it. His eyes were melancholic at the leg that was bleeding, then he stopped laughing.

"Just teasing you? Yeah, right." he said, with full sarcasm.

------

Rukia ran through the woods, she wanted to move as far away as possible from him. If she was to come even closer, her heart would explode.

When she was getting tired, after running for ten minutes, she sat on a small boulder and was panting. She frowned at the green field of grass that was blowing in the gentle breeze.

_'That bastard! Teasing me!_

_I thought that he was really going to...'_

She stared down at her legs. Her eyes widened when a drop of water had dropped onto her lap. She instantly touched her eye with her hand, and felt the tears that were spilling out. She couldn't control them, her tears were falling down her cheeks. She cradled her legs, hugging them tight and started to cry on her knees.

_'Don't play with my feelings..._

_don't waver my heart...._

_don't let me fall for you.....'_

Again, there was no courage, or confidence in this action. She couldn't, even if she had to beg to God. This was fate. They would never be together. God had cursed her the moment that her older sister had died.

Yet it was so hard!

His gentleness at times, his kindness, he wasn't afraid of her. He was always protecting her, and in that process of meeting each other, she had already tried to resist the temptation of this devil called 'love'.

* * *

After the hiking, it had been late, and night was falling. Everyone had eaten their share of food, and Ichigo was in the tent with his father. Hisagi said that he was going to have a thirty minute jog before he went to sleep. Yuzu and Karin had already gone to sleep, and Rukia was still out.

"Why? Why did I do that?!" Ichigo said in confusion and frustration. He was so tempted that he had unconscionably tried to kiss her. He knew that he liked her, but why did he had to go so far as to almost kiss her? Had his mind already waited to long for her? Was his soul that possessive of her right now?

This wasn't him.

"Ah! Whatever!" Ichigo said, and turned to his side to go to sleep.

-----

Hisagi had ran around the mountain path, his face showing full enjoyment of the cold fresh night. "Ahh~ What a good feeling this is!" he said, while spreading his arms to grasp the breeze.

He passed a field and stopped when he saw a familiar shape on it. Her small figure was on a boulder, gazing at the moon, with her lonely eyes. Hisagi had never seen her so sad right now. He thought of walking to her, but hesitated.

_'So many questions are in my head.... Kuchiki, what's happening between you and Toushiro!?'_

He stepped on the fresh grass, making noises on the way and saw Rukia snap her head at his direction. Her eyes had looked surprised and scared at first as if she was expecting someone else, but then her gaze returned to normal after looking at Hisagi.

"Hello, Hisagi-san!" Hisagi could see that Rukia was forcing the smile on her face.

"Hello Kuchiki." he sat on the same boulder as her, and stared at the starry sky. "What are you doing here, so late? You'll be tired tomorrow."

"I'm fine. I like the night."

Again, Hisagi became deep in thought.

_'What's going on..... why am I the only one out of this whole thing...?' _for many seconds, he stared hard at his lap, as if he was deciding on a difficult decision. His fist was rolled up, and his eyes became firm, as if he had decided. _'Sorry, Toushiro....'_

"Kuchiki, what's going on between you and Toushiro!?" he blurted it as if he couldn't hold it any longer. Finally, the moment of truth. But the thing was, Rukia hadn't shown any bit of shock in her face. Only full of sadness.

"Why?... Why does everyone have to know!?" she shrieked. "Why can't you all just leave me alone!?"

Hisagi stares in shock at her. Rukia looked furious.

"God has cursed me! Why?! I tried to save her!" she screamed at the sky, as if there really was a God that she was talking to. "I tried to save Hisana!"

"Kuchiki... you've lost someone important?" Hisagi said, his eyes full of shock and sympathy. Rukia was sharing the same pain as Toushiro did. He clenched his fist harder, he was going to break Toushiro's promise.

_'If I tell her, she might understand...._

_She had lost someone as he has...._

_Everyone has a deep scar that no one can see. _

_Everyone is having pain in this cruel world.'_

"Kuchiki! Let me tell you something! This race means a lot to Toushiro." He saw Rukia stop wailing and saw her turning around with her eyes widened at the mention of the white head's name. "He shares the same deep scar as you! Someone he had loved so dearly.... was killed!" Hisagi paused. He was going to tell her everything!

"His lover was killed, and now he has fallen in a deep dark tunnel. He's blinded by the dark!" Hisagi screamed. Rukia had flinched when she heard the word that someone had murdered someone else. "His only motivation to live is revenge! He'll do anything to murder the man. THE MAN WHO IS IN THIS RACE!" Hisagi went off of the bounder and knelt down on the grass right in front of Rukia.

"Please, understand!"

There was a moment of silence as Rukia stared at the begging form of Hisagi.

"Please... get up...." Rukia said with a hoarse voice. Her bangs were covering her eyes and she was avoiding Hisagi's eye contact. She then wiped her eyes with both her hands, and raised her head to smile at him, "It's okay, Shuhei-senpai! I understand.... I'll bare with it!" she hopped off of the boulder and ran back to the camp base, as if trying to avoid anymore questions from Hisagi.

Hisagi raised his body up as if wanting to talk to Rukia some more, but then he just smiled at the back of the petite girl.

_'I won't pursue anymore... this is enough... I'm finally content... '_

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**OnigiriKami: **That was tough! I was really struggling in this chapter, but BleachedAngel13 gave me some good ideas. She gave me some funny ones, and I had originally wanted to make this chapter funny, but then I was like forget about it! Because I'm very bad at doing comedy, and pretty good at doing tragedy. When you read the potato joke, did it make you guys laugh a little? XD

So how did you guys like it?! So dramatic, huh? Did you miss this feeling in the story? Also, if anyone hasn't noticed... I suck at writing romance! Friendship is the best I can do, but romance is hard to convey in writing for me, so I am sorry if the IchiRukiness sucks in my stories!!

Well last chapter, I said that this was a 'The Courage Test', but sorry that I changed it! I was planning on making this funny (as said above), but now I had to change the name of the chapter!! SORRY!!

If I was rushing then I'm sorry!! If I suck at writing and you wish I was never born... (never mind...)

Finally, the cat is out of the bag!! Toushiro's secret had been told by his most trusted friend, Hisagi!

Also what will happen in the next chapter, after the big event of Ichigo almost kissing Rukia!!!?

**REVIEW!!**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	13. Chapter 13: Unrequited Love?

**OnigiriKami: **YAY!!! I finally updated!!! Sorry for the late update!! I had a huge writer's block, and I'm sorry again, because this chapter was supposed to be way longer and more revealing!!! Oh and one more thing, I will be updating on my previous chapters to improve their suckish qualities!! :)

Ichigo and Rukia has just came back from camp, very, very late at night the "other" day (trying to explain here)

**READ AND REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH!!!!!!**

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Rukia woke up to the bright orange lights of the morning sun. She stretched her shoulders and slowly turned her head to the alarm clock that was in Karin and Yuzu's room. She jolted up at the time. It was early in the morning, and she wanted to go to school earlier than Ichigo. As she dressed into her school uniform, she was deep in thought of what had happened the other day.

_'... I should just ignore what happen yesterday and act like nothing happened.... I'll just act normal towards him...'_

When she was finally finished in getting her school uniform ready, she tiptoed silently downstairs and gently opened the front door of the house to not wake a certain orange head up. She didn't want to see Ichigo right now, or even walk with him. She wanted time alone.

As Rukia exited out of the house, she stopped by to her smashed house and it was odd that nobody had seemed to care about the house, as if the house had never been there. She stopped at the front of her shattered home and headed for the mailbox that was not damaged a bit by the humongous tree that had crashed. She opened the mailbox and saw that their was two envelopes in there. One was the bills because the land owners didn't know that the house was in smithereens yet, the other was from her brother.

She anxiously tore the letter that was from her brother and eagerly wanted to read it. But she was disappointed when she only saw the huge check that he gave her once a week. She shut the mail box with a frustrated slam and stuffed her mail into her school bag, then she stomped her way to school.

Rukia at least wanted an 'How are you' letter from her own brother-in-law, but why did he have to act cold and respond longer than usual? She new what her brother was trying to obtain in America, but shouldn't he have given up a long time ago? Was he just scared to get near Rukia, was he afraid of her? This made Rukia feel more gloomy and she had the thoughts of being unwanted.

_'But one person wants me in this world....' _the image of Ichigo flashed in her mind and she automatically shook her head as if she was insane. _'No, shut up Rukia! Why would he....?!'_

As Rukia kept talking to herself in her head, she did not notice a guy running straight towards her.

"WATCH OUT!!"

Before Rukia could react to what the person was shouting at her, she was shoved over to the direction in which she had came from.

"Ow.." Rukia rubbed her side in pain and checked to see if their were any cuts, but luckily there weren't.

"Sorry."

"H-Hitsugaya-senpai?!" Rukia shouted as she recognized the white haired boy.

"K-Kuchiki?!" Toushiro said in surprise. "What are you doing so early in the morning?"

"What are you doing early in the morning?" she asked back.

"I always do, to avoid all those fan girls..." he said awkwardly then asked her again, "Tell me why you're so early in the morning?"

Rukia didn't looked directly into his eyes and it took her a while to respond, "Ah... I wanted an early practice around the track.."

Toushiro stared at her for a while, and didn't look like he was convinced. Then he looked around him, "Where's that orange buffoon?"

"Ah... When I came to his house, he was still sleeping, so I went without him!" Rukia said. She didn't want to tell him misleading things, and she did not want him to find out that she was living with Ichigo. As they came near to the school gates, Rukia gave a quick glance at Toushiro, "This is where we split up, Hitsugaya-senpai! I will see you after school for the track and field team!"

As Rukia was leaving towards the track and field, she could still here the noise of footsteps approaching her, First she thought that it was her imaginations, but when she stopped and the steps became louder and closer, Rukia turned around to see Toushiro still behind her. "Hitsugaya-senpai?" she said, looking questioningly at him.

"I'm.... I'm going to practice too." he said hesitantly.

"Oh! Sure!" she then turned back and tried focusing on her surroundings more than the presence of Toushiro. She didn't want it like this. She wanted to be alone, but she didn't want to be selfish and refuse Toushiro from coming near her.

When the track was zooming in to her and she was closer, she dropped her bag onto the ground and began running around. Somehow, running was relaxing today for her. It took out all her emotions into just concentrating on running. She shut her eyes tight from the strain of her muscles and then stopped. She dropped to the floor and started panting. Sweat was already on her forehead.

"What are you doing?" Rukia looked up to meet Toushiro's teal eyes looking down at her with a puzzled face. "Are you trying to improve your sprints or something?" then he dropped to the ground next to her and criss-crossed his legs. "You're reckless when running. You breath uncontrollably, and your muscles are sore in a short amount of time. You have no experience at all."

Rukia got up, sat down, and criss-crossed her legs. Her face had a small frown on it, "Then if you were me, what would you do, Hitsugaya-senpai?"

"Tch. First I would stretch my muscles so that they won't get tense, second, I would stop using my mouth to breath uncontrollably. I use my nostrils to inhale and then part my mouth to exhale. For speed, I sprint on my toes and don't let my heels down, it'll be quicker. And last, I wouldn't clench my fist, I let them loose, because when you ball your fists they go to the diagonal direction, while when you straighten them, they go to a more straighter direction."

"Wow. Hitsugaya-senpai knows a lot!" Rukia said then gave a little laugh. "You must have trained really hard!"

"Of course. The best always have to train hard."

"Why do you train so hard? To impress a lover?" Rukia had a goofy smile on her face.

"..... No." Toushiro said with a more quieter voice, " I don't have one."

"Ohhhh! Do you hate women then? Do you swing the other way? Hmmm.... maybe that's why you avoid your fan girls...."

"Yes.... NO! I hate women! But I DON'T swing the other way! Got that?!" Toushiro said angrily, a vein had popped on his forehead. _'What's wrong with this Kuchiki!? She's somehow odd today.... she's more loose.... she's not that tense as usual...'_

"Huh? You hate women? Then what do you like?"

"Nothing."

"But there should be something or someone you like right?"

"No, nothing."

"......" Rukia thought of something for a second, before hesitantly talking, "Hitsugaya-senpai?"

"What?"

"Did you ever experience love before?"

"... Don't say that word.. it somehow disgusts me.." When Toushiro turned to look at her face, she looked somehow down. So he sighed and then said, "Yes, I have."

Rukia's eyes looked distant, as is she wasn't really in the conversation, "I think I am now."

"Huh? Kuchiki loves someone?" Toushiro said with disbelief thick in his voice. ".... Who is the person?" then he saw Rukia's blushing face of shame, meaning that she had not wanted to say what she had said intentionally, "It's okay Kuchiki, you really don't have to answer me anyways."

"...." Rukia stayed silently for a while, until she drew her knees to her chest and leaned her forehead on it. She wrapped her arms around them also and closed her eyes, "It's okay, Hitsugaya-senpai. But I would really like to talk with someone about it, so can you hear me out?"

"S-Sure." Toushiro said without even expecting an answer like that. Somehow he could not refuse Rukia's request. _'Strange...'_

"Well..." Rukia's grip on her knees became tighter, "He's a really warm guy, he's sometimes stupid and senseless... but still caring."

He leaned in near her to directly look at her head. He knew who Rukia was talking about, the feeling that she was experiencing right now. And somewhere deep inside of Toushiro's chest, he felt a small wave of jealousy. It was disgusting for him, because he had never felt like that before. "Kuchiki, are you talking about Kurosaki?"

Toushiro saw that Rukia's head had immediately lifted up and her cheeks were beginning to tint hot red. Her eyes were bewildered at him. "H-How did you know?!"

"... It was just a guess." His stare hardened at her as he said what was nagging him right now, "You like Kurosaki, don't you?"

"...." Her face was now all red, "... N-Not like....." Then she started to smile sweetly as she was reminded of Ichigo more and more, ".... I'm in _love _with him."

Toushiro felt it. He felt the envy in him, and also a deep exruciating pain in him. When did he started to feel like this towards Rukia? He barely knows her and he hated her. But somehow it was odd, she was different from the rest of the girls. She was somehow special to him, and somehow, he wanted her to be happy. He wanted to help her love life.

He wanted to be her friend.

"Well then, Kuchiki, I don't think that this is an unrequited love.." Toushiro saw Rukia's puzzled face, "I'm going to help you."

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**Meanwhile (Ichigo and Rukia are at school now!!):**

"Ara! Did I come in a wrong time?!" said the man with a green and white striped hat that covered one of his eyes. Kisuke Urahara was talking to Ichigo's father, Ishiin.

"Hahahaha! They're at school right now, but..." Ishiin's tone became more serious, "You came at the right time... she'll be coming from school in just a few minutes...."

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**OnigiriKami:** Sorry people but I won't be updating this story for another while, but I still have my ideas up in my head!!! This chapter was pretty much scratchy because I haven't written in this story in a long time, I am currently writing on my newest story, Orange Delinquent, so go ahead and check it out.... if you dare... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

In this chapter, Rukia is acting like she doesn't know about Toushiro's secret (trying to explain everything here)

**I TOLD YOU TO REVIEW! :) (yes I am very persistent... .')**

_Sneak Peek Info:_

_"I'm here to cure you, Kuchiki-san...."_


	14. Chapter 14: A Savior?

**OnigiriKami: **Chapter 14!! YAY!! A lot of drama here!! Sorry if I made this chapter a little hard to understand and made it sound sucky!!

THANK YOU FOR THE 100 REVIEWS!! I'm so happy~ I never thought this incredibly suckish story would reach this many reviews!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

**READ AND REVIEW**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach!**

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"What are you saying, Hitsugaya-senpai?" Rukia asked in true puzzlement at the white head that smiled at her. It actually surprised her, because Toushiro had never smiled at Rukia. He had always made a face, showing that he hated her.

"I'm saying that I'll help you get with Kurosaki." Toushiro said, a little angry that she couldn't understand him.

"But what did you mean about the 'not a unrequited love' part?" Rukia asked eagerly to Toushiro, who instantly turned away from her. _'This idiot... she doesn't know that Kurosaki likes her....'_

"Nothing, I was thinking of this drama show that I watched yesterday." Toushiro said quickly.

"H-Hitsugaya-senpai.... are you sure that you don't swing that way...?" Rukia asked with genuine belief, "You watch romance drama....."

"No! I already told you that I don't swing that way!!"

"Okay...." Rukia said, her voice was thick with sarcasm.

_'Great! Now Kuchiki thinks that I'm homosexual!' _**(I have nothing, I repeat, NOTHING against them!!!)***

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"Kuchiki-san!!" Orihime yelled in delight. She was going to tell Rukia about this thing that was nagging her. She had a growing guilt when she didn't tell Rukia about her confession. "Can we meet by the tree again at lunch time?"

Rukia was lazy in her desk, and looked like she was avoiding eyes contact with Ichigo. Then Rukia was surprised at Orihime, as she called out to her. It had been about two days since she saw Orihime and she had never thought about her. She hadn't even been pondering about her confession to Ichigo. "Oh, hi Inoue! What did you say... I didn't pay attention.... sorry."

"It's okay, Kuchiki-san! Can we meet at lunch at that tree?"

"Oh... okay... why?" Rukia asked Orihime.

"It's something I have to tell you!" Orihime said in a sing-song voice.

Then suddenly everybody sat in their seats when they heard the homeroom teacher coming in. She slammed the door open and looked grumpily at them. This was usually a rare sight, as she was more easy-going.

"Hello class..." Ochi sensei said in a monotoned voice. "How are you all....."

"....."

"ANSWER ME!!" Ochi sensei screamed to the class, and slammed her hands on the podium. Then suddenly, the sensei gained back her composure and started fixing her glasses, "Sorry class... I didn't have my coffee yet......"

Everyone sweat dropped.

Rukia's eyes then traveled away from the teacher who was now regularly calling out the attendance. She wondered towards the back of Ichigo's head, who was turned opposite of her direction. He stared out at the window with his right arm to lean against. He showed no sign that he was being watched. They had not talked to each other for the whole day and Rukia could tell that Ichigo was also trying to avoid her eye contact. After what had happened to them at the camp, they could not talk normally.

Ichigo had almost kissed Rukia!

Rukia blushed as she recalled the moment. In that entire moment, she had actually expected a kiss, but she didn't know that Ichigo was just teasing her. This made her feel a painful feeling. She didn't want him to just do that to her. She had actually expected more, but she was to ashamed and embarassed to actually admit it.

But know, Rukia knew that she was actually in love with this orange head. He was just so kind to her, he was always there for her in painful moments. He changed her life the moment that they met. She trusted him. She loved it when he smiled that she actually felt a flutter in her heart.

Rukia shook her head at the romantic thoughts in her mind about Ichigo. She then pondered her gaze at the teacher again.

"Class, as you know... or might know... our track and field team will be competing against Sakurano's track and field team, so go there this Friday and root for them! Oh! Also visit Shuhei, he just healed from his sprained ankle!!" Ochi sensei said, reversing back into her usual attitude. The class immediately looked surprise at Shuhei's recovery. All the girls were chit chatting about visiting him, with their red faces on. All the boys just wanted to hang out with their idol senpai. They were all excited about this.

But the only person that sat their, trouble, was Rukia. She had almost forgotten about Senna. That girl had tried to tell off Rukia, and her words still haunted her.

_Forfeit in 2 weeks..._

Rukia shuddered, then put down her head. This was the last week that Rukia had to decide if she wanted to forfeit or not. But... she didn't want to. She didn't want to let down her team mates, and her will didn't want to. Rukia then ganced back at Ichigo, then immediately jumped, when she saw him glancing at her. His eyes had worry for her of Senna.

"Are you going to be okay?"

_'Acting as if nothing happened...'_

"Y-Yeah..."

"Rukia... whatever happens.. stand up to Senna.." Ichigo said with reassurance of what he was telling Rukia.

Rukia actually liked Ichigo being himself towards her. It made her feel at ease, and not awkwad to talk to him. She gave Ichigo a small smile and nodded her head. She wanted to show Ichigo that she was fine. But the truth was, was that she was still troubled.

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**Lunch...**

Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida sat on the school roof. Ichigo ate a loaf of bread with some cream filling inside. Ishida ate a bento, and Chad was just looking at them.

"Chad..... how come you....." Ichigo munched his bread, ".... never eat?"

".... I'm on a diet." Chad said simply with his deep dark voice.

"Why?" This time Ishida joined in.

"......" Chad was thinking for a while, ".... someone said that I was as big as a sumo wrestler...."

"Ch-Chad, don't worry about what people say about you!" Ichigo said. Then suddenly everyone jumped from where they sat when the door of the building that jutted out of the roof opened. Standing next to the entrance, was Toushiro.

"T-Toushiro!?" Ichigo said in surprise of the young teen.

"Hitsugaya-senpai!" Toushiro said angrily. Then he changed the subject, "Kurosaki, I need to talk to you!"

"Sorry, I don't like to talk to Oji-sans..." Ichigo said, then turned to his food immediately. But then he turned back when he heard something surprising Toushiro had said.

"It's about Kuchiki!" Toushiro shouted, and he got the reaction he wanted. The look of surprise and interest in the matter on Ichigo's face. Toushiro then smirked at his own slyness. He motioned his right hand to show that Ichigo should follow him, "Come, Kurosaki. Let's...." Toushiro looked at the two of Ichigo's friends that were accompanying him, "Go somewhere with only the two of us..."

Ichigo first hesitated, then he hardened his stare and quickly ate his food, "This better not be some kind of joke!"

------

They were alone in a hallway. This hallway was part of the senior's floor. It was a little dark, because this part of the building was facing away from where the sun was.

On each ends, Ichigo and Toushiro stared at each other for a while. Ichigo glared at the senior to see if he was going to do anything strange to him. While Toushiro gave a bored look, but was actually choosing carefully to what he was to say. When Toushiro's mouth slightly opened he took in a breathe and started to speak.

"Kurosaki, do you like Kuchiki?" Toushiro finally said.

"Look here...." Ichigo said awkwardly towards Toushiro, "... nobody says that so straight-forwardly..."

_'Hmmm... he's not denying, huh?'_

"So does this mean that you like Kuchiki?" Toushiro asked bluntly. His face was expressionless.

"...." Ichigo stared hard at the ground, making a frown. He paused there with his mouth open, before he said the words that Toushiro had wanted to hear, "Yeah... I love Rukia...."

_'Love, huh?'_

"Well Kurosaki, this is all I need.." Toushiro said, before walked past Ichigo who was now in his own universe.

_'Love.... But it's unrequited....' _Ichigo thought sorrowfully.

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**(Rukia and Orihime)**

"Kuchiki-san... don't you like the cool air here.... summer's almost over..." Orihime said, with stretched arms to the wind. Her orange hair blew in the calm air and she breathed it in.

"Yes... what do you want to talk about, Inoue?"

"You... know.. on the day of the festival... I was rejected." Orihime said with calmness, and she put her arms at her back, squeezing them. She turned around to see Rukia's expression. As Orihime expected, they were shocked eyes that she saw in Rukia. "But... I'm okay now..."

"... Inoue, I'm so sorry..." Rukia apologized, she looked down at the grassy ground.

"Kuchiki-san!" There was so much force in Orihime's voice and she glared at Rukia. It had taken Rukia by surprise. "What are you sorry for?! I'm the one who should be sorry! I was the selfish one! You gave up Kurosaki-kun just for me! But in reality you really do like him!" the anger of herself came out like a rolling snowball. Then Orihime gasped and covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that much to Rukia.

"I-Inoue..." Rukia said in shock. Had Orihime known all along. "H-How do you know about that...?"

"I knew all along! To Kurosaki-kun, I'm nothing but a friend, but when you guys are together... I always have this horrible feeling in my chest! I hate it how you guys always look at each other! I HATE IT!!!" Orihime shrieked. She didn't want to be like this in front of Rukia.. but she couldn't stop. And she had to do this! The anger, and jealous for one of her precious friend was tumbling out of her mind. In reality, the real thing was, that she envied Rukia.

Orihime hated this feeling. She never wanted to feel this way again. She didn't want to trouble Rukia and not be friends anymore, but... Orihime's tears came out and she covered her eyes to not show her tears. She was hiccuping from the lack of air. She then slid to the soft ground and said what she knew would happen. "Kuchiki-san... if I keep feeling like this... we can't be friends! I don't want you to have Kurosaki-kun! To tell you the truth.... I REALLY HATE IT!!"

"Inoue! It's okay! I won't like him, we can still be-"

"SHUT UP!! I don't want to be your friend! I can't, no matter what! I'm still in love with Kurosaki-kun! If I see you more and more, I'll start hating you! My jealousy will build up!"

Rukia tried to touch Orihime's arm but she yanked her arm away from Rukia. "Inoue... why are you doing this...?" Rukia said with immense hurt in her face.

"Because, I hate you." Orihime said coldly.

Rukia's eyes widened at Orihime. Never did Rukia imagine that Orihime had actually hated her all along. Rukia looked away from Orihime's icy glare. Rukia wanted to get out of here, she wanted to get as far away from Orihime. She didn't want to be hated. She didn't want to lose a friend, she didn't want to lose Orihime.

Rukia could feel the tears sliding slowly down her cheeks and her mouth started to quiver. She didn't want to show this unsightly self of her to anyone, no one but him. And the only thing that Rukia could do was to run away from Orihime, she ran back into the school building. Her legs carried her to the restroom and she locked herself in one of the stalls. She panted from running.

"What's going on!?" Rukia said with her voice quivering. She put her hands on her head and started shaking.  
"What's happening?! Why is this happening to me?!"

Then she heard the door of the restroom swing open and heard foot steps. The people who came in were snickering and had a low deep voice...

Kuchiki Rukia... was stuck in the men's restroom.

"AHHHHHH!"

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"Orihime....?" Tatsuki came outside to see a figure that was on the ground sobbing. "What happened?"

"I did it..."

"You did what...?"

"I... I finally let Kuchiki-san go...."

"What are you talking about, Orihime?"

"I was a burden to Kuchiki-san... without me... she could go to Kurosaki-kun now..." Orihime said, giving Tatsuki the most painful smile ever.

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"I'm home...." Ichigo said tiredly as he entered his room. He had a weird day, what was that white haired dwarf talking to him about. It was so random to even bring up that embarrassing subject.

Ichigo put down his bag and then took out his shoes. He scanned around the house to see that it was all quiet. Yuzu was at a friend's house to study for a test, and Karin was playing soccer after school. The only person who should be here was his old man.

"Oyaji? I'm home..." Ichigo said, he walked around the house, then upstairs. But before he could reach the steps, he was kicked straight in the face.

"WELCOME HOME, SON!!"

"DAMN YOU!" Ichigo got up and rubbed his face of the soreness that he was experiencing right now. "Why'd you do that for!?"

"Hmm... because I love you~"

".... creepy..."

"Ara! So this is the Kurosaki men bonding, eh?" Ichigo rose his head up to see a man in the stairway. He had a white and green hat on to cover his face, and a fan covering his mouth. To Ichigo, he was very mysterious and suspicious.

"Who the hell are you?"

"That's very rude, Kurosaki-kun!" Urahara said, returning a smile to Ichigo, which made him mad. "The name's Urahara Kisuke!~" Then he looked side to side, like he was searching for something, "Ara? Where's Kuchiki-san?"

"What do you want with her?"

"Oh for something~"

"Are you trying to do some kind of perverted stuff to her?!" Ichigo asked defensively, knowing that this man was Ishiin's friend.

"No, no! I'm only going to do some weird things to her, and drug her.. stuff like that~" Urahara said, "I really like little girls!"

"That's what you call 'doing something perverted'! What are you, some kind of lolicon*!?" Ichigo asked angrily. Then he felt his father slung his arm on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Hahahaha! It's okay! Everyone's a lolicon!! We all like little girls!" Ishiin said, "Right, Ichigo?~ You like Rukia... her petite form and her A-cupped b-" Ishiin was interrupted by a smack on the face. Ichigo was red and he had punched Ishiin.

"PERVERT! How the hell do you know what cup she is?!"

Ishiin quickly got up, "OOOH!! Ichigo's interested on how I peek into things... well first when girls are in a long distance, I use high tech bino-" another punch landed on Ishiin's face.

"I'm not interested in those kind of disgusting things!" Ichigo shouted at Ishiin.

"W-Well you asked me, so I had to answer your question!" Ishiin said, rubbing his cheek.

Then all the men suddenly became quiet, when they heard the door open. They saw a small figure with sad looking purple eyes. She said her greetings tiredly and started taking off her shoes.

"Rukia... are you okay?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm fine.. nothing's wrong..." Rukia said softly, then she made her way to the stairs. Her eyes were glued to the ground. When she was on the first step she couldn't advance any longer. Urahara was blocking her way. "Excuse me..." But Urahara didn't move out of his place.

"Kuchiki Rukia, isn't it?" Urahara asked, a wide grin was plastered on his face. He folded back his fan and tilted his hat up to show his emerald eyes gazing at her. "My name is Urahara Kisuke." His name immediately brought Rukia's attention, as she suddenly lifted her head up with wide eyes staring at him. "Nice to meet you!"

"Urahara... Kisuke..?"

"I'm here to cure you, Kuchiki-san...."

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**OnigiriKami: **Just to tell you all, there's no cure for AIDS, and I'm aware of that.... but since this is an AU... ya know..... and you don't want Rukia to die, right? Since she has recently developed AIDS, she has only about a month or two to survive before she dies, so I made this quick. I DON'T WANT HER TO DIE!!!

The next chapter will explain why Urahara wants to cure Rukia! And why Rukia already know him. Urahara has a cure! But he won't show it to the world, because he is in-debt to Rukia and he has only three antidotes to it. So it's useless to show it.

Yep, so the relay is only 5 days away!!! MWAHAHAHA!!!

What the hell will Toushiro try to do?! For Ichigo and Rukia?

Orihime broke up the friendship, because the bond that Rukia and she has is making Rukia not try getting Ichigo. So she cut her ties with Rukia and let her be. True friendship is not like goody-goody, It's tragic actually, because you have to actually sacrifice something for friendship... well that's what I think -.-' (for love troubling... entangling friendship)

OH!! And, I am going to make a chapter of what Senna really thinks of Rukia... if she is actually cruel and twisted... or... (not tellin ya :P)

*lolicon: someone who likes little kids, or people that looks like kids...

***I have nothing against homosexuals!! I am sorry to anyone that I have offended!! I AM VERY SORRY!!**

**REVIEW.... **


	15. Chapter 15: Cure?

**OnigiriKami: **Hi, I'm back with another chapter of this... I reread my chapters, and I honestly was sooo embarrassed of myself. THEY ALL SUCKED, I was gonna cry and rip out my hair after reading my own story... well.. here's another chapter. I am NOT content with this chapter at all, it felt like I rushed it... and stupid...

**READ AND REVIEW**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach**

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_"W-What are you saying?" Rukia asked to the blonde doctor. He had the usual white coat on and he had a name card around his neck. His face showed pain at the little girl who had bandages around her chest. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she heard the news. She didn't know what it was but she was scared, because the doctor's face was sullen, "Y-You're just trying to scare me, right? Doctors can cure anything!" her voice sounded like she was trying to reassure herself._

_"Doctors can't cure everything..." Urahara Kisuke whispered to the girl. His green eyes were full of sadness for the little girl. How tough would it feel to handle this news in such a young age? How mentally torn she was feeling right now. How much disgust she was feeling towards him..._

___"YOU'RE LYING!" Rukia said, her tears came out at once. She cupped her face with her two hands and she looked at nothing, "I DON'T HAVE HIV POSITIVE! STOP LYING! STOP LYING! STOP LYING!" Rukia shouted, her high pitched voice cracked in the middle. She aroused out of her bed and slammed her fists hard at the doctor's legs. "STOP LYING!"_

___"I'm sorry... Kuchiki-san.." Urahara said in a defeated tone. It was all his fault, if he had tested the blood sample, this wouldn't have happened. If he wasn't so overly confident this wouldn't have happened. Only if he wasn't so full of himself then this wouldn't have happened! He hated himself for ruining an innocent girl's life._

___"AM I GOING TO DIE?" Rukia asked, her voice shaking and her fists still pounding at Urahara's legs. "IF I WAS GOING TO DIE, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SAVE ME?"_

___"..."_

___"YOU COULD'VE LEFT ME THERE TO DIE!"_

___"BE QUIET!" Urahara said, snapping at the girl who just lost control of herself, "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE!"_

_______"LIAR! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Rukia said, her body trembled and her throat started to hurt, she crouched down and closed her eyes and covered her ears. "I HATE YOU!" Rukia shouted, and started sobbing some more. This was to much on the little girl, she was carrying a big weight on her... a big burden._

_______________How much did Urahara wanted to turn back the pendulum! How much he wanted to save this little girl's life. He had never intended to do this, he had never wanted to ruin this little girl's life. He then went down to the little girl and hugged her tightly. He whispered in her ear, "I promise, I'll find a cure for you someday..." he squeezed her tighter, "I'm really sorry..."_

_______________"Liar..."_

* * *

"Urahara... Kisuke..?" Rukia asked in astonishment

"I'm here to cure you, Kuchiki-san..." Urahara said, while smiling at her amusedly. "My, my, you've grown to be a fine woman, how's your brother doing?"

"It's none of your business..." Rukia said, glaring at him. She then tried to walk upstairs again, but Urahara blocked her way. "Excuse me."

"Ara? Didn't you listen? I'm here to cure you!"

"Don't lie! There's no cure for..." Rukia glanced at Ishiin.

Ishiin saw her and gave a peace sign. He grinned and said, "Don't worry, I already knew about it a loooong time ago!"

Rukia gave him a surprised expression then she turned her head back to Urahara to finish her sentence, "There's no cure for AIDS!"

"Ara? But I found it..." Urahara said, he looked up at the ceiling and put his index finger to his chin.

Then a loud thud was heard around the house. Rukia had slapped Urahara Kisuke in the face. "Don't joke around with me! There's no cure! If there was, it would be in the media by now!"

"Oww... that's so cruel Kuchiki-san!~" Urahara said in a teasing tone, then he rummaged through his sleeves and took out three viles. They were full of liquid that looked like plain water. "See, I have three antidotes!"

"Wow! What are they made out of?" Ishiin asked in false excitement.

"Well, they're made of this ancient African plant- which are extremely rare- and it-"

"CUT IT OUT!" Rukia shouted, "There's no cure for AIDS! I told you already! It's impossible!"

"Hmm... Kuchiki-san... remember when you said that you wanted to be dead instead of having AIDS?" Urahara asked. This question made Ichigo turn sharply at Rukia.

"Is that true?" Ichigo asked, and when he saw her nod, he frowned more. He didn't want Rukia to want to die.

"Well... this serum has a fifty/fifty percent chance... you either live from all the HIV virus being rapidly destroyed, or it rapidly speeds up the process causing you to instantly die..." Urahara said quickly and then smiled, but it earned him a punch from Ichigo.

"The hell? You're not supposed to smile at this information!" Ichigo shouted, "She might die!"

"Ara? But it's okay, Kuchiki-san had wished to die ever since she got HIV... so it isn't a problem!" Urahara said, laughing.

"No, I changed my mind." Rukia interrupted. "I don't want to die now..." she then glanced at the orange head.

"Ahh... I see.." Urahara said in realization, then smirked. "But you should take this chance. Your ten years are already up, by now you only have about a month to live..."

"What?" Ichigo asked in surprise, "What did you just say? Rukia only has a month?"

"Yes, so there's no reason for you to reject this antidote... you either die a slow painful death after your immune system completely shuts down, or an instant death with half a chance for a cure... which one would you take?"

"I... I don't know..." Rukia said, looking down at the floor. Then she raised her head up to meet Urahara's eyes, "I will tell you by tomorrow... let me just think... Well, excuse me..." Rukia said, bowing her head down, then she proceeded upstairs without Urahara blocking her.

When Rukia had gone upstairs to her room, the living room crackled with tension as the three men stood at the staircase. Ichigo glared at Urahara, while he gave him a dumbfounded smile. Ishiin just stared at the two and sweat dropped.

"I-I'll just be going now..." Ishiin said, trying to sneak upstairs to the safety of his room.

"Hold it!" Ichigo said, stopping his father from proceeding upstairs, "I want answers! Stop running away!" Ichigo pointed at Urahara, "Who the hell is he, and why does he know you and Rukia?"

"Ara? You haven't told about me Ishiin? That's so cruel! We went to the same high school together!" Urahara complained.

"Right! This is Urahara Kisuke, my best friend ever!" Ishiin said.

"Tch, you know this old man?... But it still doesn't explain why he knows Rukia! And how you know that Rukia had AIDS, Oyaji!"

"Oh... that... Urahara told me~" Ishiin said, then he slowly scooted to the stairs, and then he started to quickly run to his own room, "BYE SUCKERS!~"

"H-Hey! Wait!~ So cruel! Leaving me behind with your son!" Urahara whined then he turned at Ichigo with a more serious tone, "If you want your other answers... you should ask Kuchiki-san..." Then he walked past Ichigo to the front door. "Oh... and tell Kuchiki-san that I will be waiting for her answer after school..." Urahara put on his getas and opened the door, but before he went out he said, "Please try to convince her, it's still not to late, she hasn't officially developed AIDS, she's just on her last stages of developing it... you're the only one who can... she can't trust me right now... Goodbye, Kurosaki-kun..." then the door shut tightly.

Ichigo stayed in the living room, thinking hard of what he was going to do next. His scowl deepened, then after a minute passed by that Ichigo ran to the kitchen and pulled out a knife. He knew what to do to convince Rukia.

He ran upstairs to Karin and Yuzu's room and found Rukia on her bed staring at the ceiling. Her hands were folded together and were placed on her stomach. Her breathing was constant and it seemed as if she didn't hear Ichigo coming in.

"What is it...?" she whispered. This reminded Ichigo of the first time they met, when she was quiet and depressed. When there was no answer, Rukia moved her deep violet eyes to look at Ichigo's face. "What?"

Ichigo hid the knife behind his back, he didn't want to alarm Rukia. He just stared at her, before finally uttering his question. "Who was he?"

"... Him?" Rukia said, then turned her head away and sighed, "I've known him from a while back... he was there when I woke up from the accident..."

"Oh."

There was an uncomfortable silence, then Ichigo stomped his feet towards Rukia in her bed. "W-What?" Rukia asked nervously as she saw Ichigo's sudden action. "Ow!" Rukia shouted when he grabbed her hand forcefully. Then her eyes widened to see that Ichigo put a small knife against her index finger. He slowly went closer to it while Rukia started to struggle, "W-what are you doing?"

He slitted it.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia screamed as she saw the poisonous blood slowly oozing out of her index finger. She then looked up at Ichigo angrily, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT? DO YOU WANT TO DIE?" Her eyes widened when she saw Ichigo slowly licking the finger, she tried to take her small hands away from him, but it was a worthless struggle. "WHY? WHY? WHY?" Rukia screamed, repeating the same question, her expression looked devastated.

"Rukia.. we'll do it together, if you die, I die, if you live, I live." Ichigo said, his eyes shown like deep amber orbs. His face had immense pain on it, "We'll get through it together, Rukia.." After what he said, Ichigo could see that Rukia's face was dripping with tears, she squeezed his arm and began to hug him. "It's okay, it's okay, we'll get through this together..."

"I'm scared!" Rukia cried, "I'm scared of leaving this world... I know it's not perfect, but this world has something that I have to live for! I have friends, I have things that I still want to do, I have someone who I love..." Rukia stopped holding onto Ichigo, and covered her mouth, "W-What did I just say?"

Ichigo looked at her shockingly, his face was blushing as he heard her saying those words. Those words hurt him, he didn't like it. He didn't like it at all... He didn't want Rukia to love someone other then him. It was selfish to think like that, selfish to want her everything, but he couldn't help it... He loved her. These feelings started to overwhelm Ichigo, as he grabbed Rukia's shoulder and gave a big kiss. It was sweet and long, their lips locking like a key and hole.

After a moment of silence, Ichigo released his grip on Rukia, and as he slowly opened his eyes he saw a shocked Rukia looking at him as if there was something on his face. He stepped back one step from her and blushed furiously, his hand covered his mouth and mumbled a sorry, then ran out of the room.

Rukia sat where she was, as if she didnt know what just hapened until the events resurfaced and her face became red also.

"Eh?"

* * *

"Hey Senna!" yelled Aizen. Senna, Aizen, and Gin were in the Sakurano's small track and field area. They had been practicing for the big relay race that was coming up in five days. The purple haired girl was sweating hard and breathlessly running the track in a steady jog.

"What is it, Aizen?" Senna asked in a bossy tone, although she was 3 years younger than Aizen. "Give me some water, Gin." Senna ordered to the thin tall white-purple haired man. He gave her a big grin, then went to the cooler on the bleachers, opened it, and then threw a cold water bottle. Senna caught the bottle, and then unscrewed the cap. She took big gulps of the water.

"Well.. when you said that we were already going to win, what did you mean by it?" Aizen asked.

"Oh... I know this girl.." Senna said, smiling. "She most likely will forfeit, and will not be in this race, which will cause the Karakuras to forfeit also, because of the short number of people."

"I see.." Aizen said, then grinned a little. "That's excellent... then it will work out for me also.."

"Why?"

"I.. have a little problem going on with one of the members of Karakura's team. Nothing big though..." He gave Senna a false reassuring grin. "Nothing big..." he repeated.

"Oh.. alright then..."

"Senna? Tell me, how exactly did you made this person forfeit?" Gin finally spoke up.

"None of your business." Senna said, glaring at Gin. She then went over to the bleachers to pick up her bag. "I'm leaving first." She saw the two men waving and nodding her to leave. Senna turned her head back to the school gate, and left to go home.

When did it all began? When did she started to treat Rukia like this? These questions were all going in her mind, as she walked to her house. Why was she so cruel to Rukia?

_'Oh yeah... I remember now...' _Senna realized...

* * *

**OnigiriKami: **I... am... so nervous with this chapter! The kissing scene is stupid, because I don't know how to describe a kissing scene.. it's not like I observe people kissing... well, I update after so long.. hope you guys enjoyed.

The next chapter will be about Senna and Rukia, when they were little...

**REVIEW!**


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